How often do you give your team members feedback that truly makes a real difference?
In my last week's video, Managers How To Give Positive Feedback, I shared ways to give feedback and praise on good performance.
Today's video however is about How To Give Feedback On Poor Performance.
I appreciate it can be more challenging but, done well, it can have a very positive impact and your team members will thank you in the long run.
Where to start?
First you must establish the facts of someone’s behaviour
What have they actually done? No assumptions or subjective opinions of their personality - for example, you're lazy, you lack professionalism, or you have a bad attitude. These will just create an argument.
Provide examples of their behaviour. For example, their timekeeping, missed deadlines, incorrect data used, language they used, inappropriate behaviour. Keep details factual with no blame attached.
Provide factual examples of their behaviour, not your assumptions of their personality.
Once the facts have been established, it is important to discuss the impact of their behaviour and the consequences of it. Be careful of the why question in respect to why they did or didn't do a certain thing, especially if they are very good at coming up with excuses. Of course, ask the why question to people who you believe would benefit from extra support, are new to the job or having a tough time.
Once the facts and impact have been discussed it’s now time to ask them for a solution.
What can you do to resolve the situation? What will you do in the future? What is the way forward? Encourage your team member to come up with the answers and discuss actions they are going to take responsibility for.
Summarise the meeting and thank the team member for working through the conversation and providing a clear solution for future actions/behaviours and how they are going to improve on these moving forward.
Again, please utilise the tips I shared in my previous video Managers How To Give Positive Feedback.
Naturally, if you need any help please get in touch.
David