Those team members fixated on improving actively seek feedback and view it as a reward. The more specific and critical the feedback is, the more they relish it.
But that’s not true for most people. Encouraging those less inclined to request feedback to view it positively and as a reward is a challenge. Good leaders are up to facing that test.
Over time, whether feedback is seen as a reward or a punishment comes down to what leaders emphasize when they offer it. Focusing on the benefits of feedback while giving it makes a world of difference.
Think about the difference between these three statements:
A). “You can do even better by being more deliberate in your process.”
B). “By being more deliberate in your process, you will see even greater results.”
C). “You’ve made great strides by acting on the feedback we discussed earlier, so now is the time to focus on becoming even more deliberate in your process.”
The first statement sounds like a critique to those on the receiving end. No one likes to be critiqued. Nor does anyone ever ask for a critical assessment when they expect a critique.
The second statement sounds like a recommendation. Making a suggestion or recommendation is a great way to offer feedback, but it is unlikely to be seen as a reward. People like recommendations, but they normally don’t seek them.
The last statement emphasizes the progress made by following earlier feedback and then offers some more. This frames feedback as a tool for development and growth and encourages people to want more of it.
By pointing to feedback that has already been given and acted upon, leaders emphasize the value of criticism and how it already has been used to advantage. Leaders who want team members to seek feedback and find it rewarding underline how others have already benefited from feedback in the past. Reminding team members that they are getting better through feedback promotes the idea that feedback is a reward worth collecting.
Occasionally offering praise with the same reminder—that success has occurred because of feedback—further brings this point home. “You have really responded well to what we talked about last week and are doing great work” is a good example.
Good leaders emphasize progress by reminding team members they have successfully incorporated what they have learned through earlier feedback conversations. This makes them hungry to learn more. This is yet another example that what leaders feed people determines their appetite.
A Daily Dispatch from the Front Lines of Leadership.
