Build a habit of actively seeking Performance feedback

Conversations about performance feedback are among the most difficult social circumstances in our life. Great feedback is neither easy to give or receive, nor does it occur by chance. While feedback has the ability to foster trust and respect, many individuals have experienced negative interactions with it.  Therefore, our innate inclinations may advise that we avoid threatening feedback situations.

The combination of these experiences makes it difficult to establish a great culture of feedback. However, there is a remedy, and it’s quite straightforward.

According to experts, the greatest method to develop a healthy and active feedback culture is to promote feedback requests rather than feedback contributions.

Feedback can be humbling, enlightening, and bring to our attention things that we are just “blind” to. However, if we do not request it, we typically do not receive it, especially in a constructive way. Many or most people will provide us with nice praise, but very few will provide us with honest, open feedback on how we can improve, how we can get better, or what we SHOULD do or do differently.

Unfortunately, many leaders receive unhelpful input. It is frequently uncommon, ambiguous, or unrelated to specific behaviors; hence, leaders tend to be less proactive in their pursuit of more of it. Low-quality feedback is useless, nice input is disregarded, and poorly delivered harsh criticism can cause bodily discomfort.

In the corporate world, feedback is the breakfast of champions. Feedback “nourishes” us. It is the apex of the training and professional development pyramid. How frequently do you request feedback?

The advantages of performance feedback

Researchers have discovered that a chemical called dopamine is produced into the brain whenever a person receives positive feedback. This chemical is responsible for the happiness that we experience. On the other hand, this is just a passing reaction. Because of this, we are inspired to keep putting in long hours at the office and to keep engaging in the behaviors that led to that satisfaction.

This cycle may also have an impact on other employees through its knock-on effects. When people observe others engaging in positive activities and experience the benefits of doing so, it makes them want to experience those benefits for themselves, which leads to them beginning to model such behaviors.

According to the findings of a poll of employees based in the United States that was commissioned by OGO, forty percent of workers said they would put more effort into their work if they were praised and recognized more frequently.

In point of fact, comments from supervisors are not the only ones that can make a difference. According to the findings of a study conducted by Globoforce and SHRM, peer-to-peer recognition is 35.7% more likely to have a beneficial influence on financial results than recognition given just by managers.

How to make feedback a habit

Due to intense deadlines and numerous meetings, it can be tough to prioritize offering each other feedback. The challenge is to make it a habit. According to behavioral scientists, there are five phases of habit, and by deconstructing it, we can learn how it functions and how to change it.

We’ve taken this concept and applied it to feedback; here are few steps you can take to make feedback a habit.

Simplify the process as much as possible for providing feedback

Professor BJ Fogg of Stanford suggests that the best way to successfully change your behaviors is to begin by forming a “small habit.” Start with something simple and manageable rather than diving headfirst into a significant transformation right away. When people get used to incorporating somewhat unimportant routines into their workflow, they will naturally begin to challenge themselves to accomplish more once some time has passed.

If we begin with the systems or processes that are already in place, we can make this change much more easily because it is already a part of the workflows that people follow.

Share real-time feedback

Positive feedback has a substantially greater impact when delivered immediately after a milestone or accomplishment. Waiting until the next performance assessment (which can sometimes take months) to acknowledge each other’s accomplishments might make it feel like an afterthought. Celebrating accomplishments in the present is the most effective method to express gratitude and raise morale.

When an individual or teammate exhibits a behavior deserving of feedback (whether positive or negative), provide it in real-time. This allows the employee or teammate time to celebrate or correct their behavior.

Assure that the feedback is effective

A typical error in giving compliments is to simply remark “Good job!” or “Excellent work!” However, this makes it extremely difficult for the recipient to understand precisely what they performed that was appreciated or which specific aspect was well-executed.

To ensure the feedback truly significant, we adhere to the following formula: C.O.I.N:

1. Describe the circumstance to provide context.
2. Describe the observed behavior. 
3. Discuss the effect it had on you. 
4. Include next steps, even if it’s only to say “keep doing this.”

Reward the conduct

Positive performance feedback is rewarding in and of itself since it makes us feel good about our efforts. Praise is contagious, as we discovered: when a coworker praises your efforts, you not only feel good about yourself, but you also want to spread that good feeling to others.

Keep a record of your praise

Frequently, the star team members are those who go above and beyond to assist a coworker or stay until every detail is flawless, even when their manager is not around. 

Remember that acknowledgment does not have to be expensive; it can be as easy as providing positive feedback. Follow the five stages indicated above to assist individuals develop the habit of providing positive feedback to one another for a job well done and to gradually build your feedback culture.

Receiving and using performance feedback is not always simple, but it is crucial for improvement. Rarely do our coworkers provide us with the type of feedback we need to grow, and equally rarely do we reply in a way that appreciates their efforts and aids our development. If we wish to realize our full potential, it is worthwhile to acquire the necessary abilities.

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