eBook

The Manager’s Guide to

Effective
Feedback

The managers guide to effective

feedback
Contents

2 – The Right Feedback Mindset Steps to giving constructive

for Managers feedback effectively

Why is feedback important for Summary and take-aways

me as a manager?

Changing your mindset 18 – Receiving positive feedback

Tips for creating a feedback The Link between your positive

culture in the workplace feedback and employee
engagement
Summary and take-aways:
Using your feedback to tap into
7 – Giving Positive Feedback your strengths
to Employees
Four main steps that will help
Putting positive feedback to the you to harness the benefits of
test positive feedback

Why is positive feedback Summary and take-aways

important?
23 – Receiving Constructive
Tips for giving positive feedback Feedback

Summary and take-aways Impact of failing to ask your

employees’ for feedback
12 – Giving constructive feedback
How to get your employees
Why should I be giving to give you more constructive
constructive feedback? feedback

How to give constructive Summary and take-aways

feedback
2

The right feedback

mindset for managers

The right feedback mindset for managers

A dramatic shift in the job market has led many companies to

turn to feedback to improve employee retention rates. Unlike
in the past, employees are feeling less tied to company loyalty
and freer to take on new opportunities. Millennials in particular
are notorious for their job-hopping tendencies, with most
being expected to stick with each job for less than three years.
Employee turnover can result in major costs for your company,
and significantly impact company morale. Think about how
much time you’re already spending recruiting new people to
replace those who left.

Attracting top talent will also become more challenging as

potential hires are not only looking at salaries, but also quality
of the work environment. Rating based reviews on websites like
Glassdoor are helping hires become more selective and raising
concern amongst companies over the potential for disgruntled
employees to scare off new talent. As companies focus more
on trying to reverse this trend, feedback has emerged as a way
to better engage employees.

To some, giving candid feedback more often may seem

counter-productive, but a 2009 Gallup Inc. study shows that
98% of employees fail to be engaged when managers give
little or no feedback. As a result, companies are investing
more in new feedback technology to encourage the exchange
of feedback between managers and employees. Faced with
the challenge of satisfying a more demanding employee

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The right feedback mindset

population, managers will be responsible for using

this technology to infuse the workplace with a greater
feedback culture.

Why is feedback important for me as a manager?

While the entrance of Millennials into the workplace will

present new opportunities, it will also require adjustments to
your management style. The top two most commonly cited
reasons for employee turnover are problems with management
and a lack of opportunities for professional development. In
fact, a 2014 study by Deloitte University revealed that two-
thirds of Millennials believe managers are responsible for
providing them with further development opportunities. In
other words, managers must become more open and engaged
in their employees’ career growth to meet their expectations.

When given effectively, providing your employees with

more feedback is one of the best ways to demonstrate your
involvement in their professional development. Giving your
employees’ advice on how to enhance their skills and helping
them to develop career goals is a powerful way to motivate
your team. Even if you don’t have any constructive feedback
to give, giving positive feedback is a great way to acknowledge
an employee’s work and make them feel valued within the
team. In the long term, feedback can significantly boost team
spirit and productivity.

Feedback is not only helpful for improving your employees’

performance, but also allows you to pinpoint adjustments
that need to be made to your management style. Employees
might be reluctant to voice concerns about your performance
as a manager until it’s too late. Creating an open environment
in which employees are encouraged to give you feedback in
return will foster greater trust between you and your team, and
alert you to potential conflicts before they heat up.

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The right feedback mindset
for managers

Changing your mindset

To realize the benefits of a feedback culture, you and your

employees will need to overcome common misconceptions
about feedback. As a manager you may be hesitant to give
constructive feedback to your employees and risk hurting or
offending them. When it comes to your top performers, you
may stick to showering them exclusively with praise as a way
to demonstrate how satisfied you are with their work. When
it comes to receiving feedback from your reports, you may
feel uncomfortable or even defensive when given constructive
criticism. You may question whether opening yourself up to
feedback will undermine your position as a manager.

If this sounds familiar you may have what Stanford psychologist

Carol Dweck terms a “fixed mindset” towards feedback. People
with a fixed mindset see their intelligence and personality
as static features. Constructive feedback is therefore taken
personally and can elicit a more emotional response. People
with a “growth mindset”, on the other hand, see their abilities
as learned traits which must be exercised and enhanced to
develop over time. People with growth-centered mindsets will
view feedback as a way to re-assess and hone their skills.

Remember that employees with fixed and growth mindsets

may react differently to your feedback. If an employee
becomes defensive or emotional when you review their
performance, this may be a sign that they have a fixed mindset.
To create a positive feedback culture, it’s essential that you
coach your employees on how to open themselves up to and
benefit from feedback.

How to create a feedback culture in the

workplace:

It starts with you

Become a role model for open communication by asking
for more feedback. Creating an open environment in which

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The right feedback mindset
for managers

employees feel comfortable reviewing your performance will

help you to improve your management skills and encourage
them to see feedback from a different perspective. It is likely
that some of your reports will be hesitant at first to give you
honest feedback. Here are some ways you can break down
these barriers.

Encourage employees to come to you for feedback

Be sure to make yourself available when employees seek
feedback and follow up with them after giving it. Giving your
employees feedback more often will motivate them to come
back to you for advice when they need it. The most important
part is to learn how to give a mix of positive and constructive
feedback and work on delivery. Communicating feedback in
a clear and constructive way will ensure that it’s received well
and taken into consideration. The following guides will go into
greater detail on how to deliver effective feedback.

Promote peer to peer feedback

Getting used to giving and receiving feedback from each
other will help employees improve their interpersonal
communication skills and build a greater sense of team spirit.
There may be some employees who continually take on an
informal mentorship role. Help them to develop their potential
leadership skills by providing extra training on how to give
effective positive and constructive feedback. See our series of
feedback guides for employees to get some inspiration.

Identify and coach employees with fixed mindsets

Employees with fixed mindsets will need extra coaching
to overcome their defensive tendencies. Consider holding
one-on-one sessions where you can discuss their reactions
to feedback, and come up with a plan to overcome their
inhibitions. For tips on how to hold effective one-on-ones see
here.

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The right feedback mindset
for managers

Summary and take-aways:

When given and received effectively, feedback can be a

powerful tool to not only improve professional skills, but also
to motivate, increase productivity and raise the profile of your
company’s work culture. However, as a manager you will not
only need to adjust your mindset towards giving and receiving
feedback, but also that of your employees’.

–– Ask for more feedback from your employees

–– Encourage employees to come to you for feedback
–– Promote peer to peer feedback
–– Coach employees on how to achieve a growth mindset

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Giving positive feedback

Feedback shouldn’t only be given when there’s a problem. It’s

also important to let your employees know they’re on the right
track and that they’re valued within the company. Recognizing
achievements can signal to other employees the types of
skills that should be enhanced and behavior that should be
replicated. For those of you who are uncomfortable giving
positive feedback, following the right steps will help you to
deliver honest recognition that doesn’t feel forced or insincere.

Putting positive feedback to the test

In his insightful Ted Talk “What makes us feel good about

our work?”, behavioral economist Dan Ariely describes
an experiment he conducted on the correlation between
recognition and motivation. In the experiment people were
offered declining amounts of money to circle pairs of identical
letters on a sheet of paper. In the first scenario, people had to
write their name on the paper. When they were finished, they
handed it to an experimenter who quickly scanned the paper,
said “aha” and placed it on a pile. In the second scenario, the
participants did not write their name on the paper. When they
were finished, the experimenter placed the paper on the pile
without looking at it. In the final scenario, the experimenter put
the sheets directly into a shredder.

The results showed that people in the first scenario ended

up working for half as much money as the people in the third
scenario. Watching their work being destroyed immediately
was extremely demotivating, despite being offered money
to do an easy task over and over again. Surprisingly, it turns
out that the average stopping point for people in the second

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Giving positive feedback

scenario was almost the same as those in the third. As Mr.

Ariely explained, “Ignoring people’s performance was almost
as bad as shredding it in front of their eyes.” Even just a simple
acknowledgment from the experimenter had a marked impact
on the subjects’ motivation.

Why is positive feedback important?

A common misconception is that motivation in the workplace

is primarily based on monetary rewards. It’s not always possible
to give your employees a raise every time they do well, and
surprisingly it might not be the strongest incentive either. A
2013 study by Make Their Day and Badgeville revealed that
83% of employees surveyed found recognition for contributions
to be more fulfilling than rewards and gifts. Another 88%
believed praise from managers in particular was either very or
extremely motivating.

Positive feedback lets your employees know that they’re

valued by the company and is especially important for building
confidence in newer employees. It’s also helpful to give positive
feedback when an employee improves in an area they had
previously had difficulty with, making it very useful as a follow
up to constructive feedback.

Don’t forget that your top performers also need positive

feedback. Many managers tend to neglect their top performers
when it comes to feedback because they see it more as a tool
for helping improve the performance of employees who are
struggling. Recognizing them for their efforts and showing
appreciation are important steps to retaining your top talent.

While creating a positive feedback culture starts with

managers, encouraging your employees to give positive
feedback to each other is the step that will diffuse and
institutionalize the practice within the office. The Make Their
Day/Badgeville study reported that 76% of respondents saw
praise from peers as very or extremely motivating. Peer-to-
peer feedback can inspire better interpersonal relationships
between employees and boost team spirit.

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Giving positive feedback

Tips on giving positive feedback:

Be specific
Avoid generic comments like “good job!” Explain what your
employee did in particular so they can learn what type of
behavior they should keep up in future. Instead of saying
“you’re a great team player” describe what they did and
why you appreciated it. “The extra coaching you gave to the
new recruits on the last project helped them to learn the
appropriate procedures, and helped our department to reach
our deadline on time.” This will also help managers who are
uncomfortable giving positive feedback. If you stick with
stating the facts and why you thought their performance
deserved recognition you can avoid clichés.

Timing
Timing is an important aspect of giving positive feedback.
If you wait too long both you and the receiver might forget
the details of their performance. This will undermine one of
the main reasons for giving positive feedback: pointing out
positive behavior so it can be encouraged and replicated. If
you put it off for too long, when the employee finally receives
appreciation for their work, so much time may have passed that
it could feel more like an afterthought. If you don’t have time to
speak with them straight away, send them a message or email.
Letting the opportunity to give praise go by in some instances
and not others can unintentionally create double standards.

Get into the habit of giving feedback more frequently

Failing to recognize when your team has gone above and
beyond can demotivate them. Not recognizing their efforts
will tell them they simply met expectations. Getting into the
habit of giving positive feedback more often will motivate your
employees to achieve more.

Be careful not to base positive feedback exclusively on results.

Sometimes even if an employee puts forth their best effort, a

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Giving positive feedback

project could fall through due to funding, a client may decide

to go in a different direction, etc. It’s at these times that
positive feedback can be most effective in counteracting the
demotivating feeling your employee may be experiencing after
not seeing their efforts materialize.

Set goals and new challenges

Even if you only have positive feedback to give, you should
encourage your employees to continue improving by helping
them set goals and new challenges. This is especially important
for top performers who may become demotivated if they don’t
feel they’re developing or being challenged.

Start by asking them if they have any professional goals or

objectives they’d like to accomplish in the next few months,
or in the next few years. Consider how these short and long
term goals could fit with the company’s objectives. Then
offer support finding ways they could achieve these goals, for
example, taking on a stretch assignment or participating in
a training course. Keep in mind that the goals you’re setting
together should be challenging but achievable, and won’t cut
into your employee’s work-life balance.

Encourage a positive feedback culture

A 2009 Mckinsey Quarterly survey found that respondents saw
praise from their managers, leadership attention and a chance
to lead projects or task forces as no less or even more effective
motivators than cash based incentives. Aside from giving
praise, you can also recognize your employees’ achievements
by suggesting they give feedback and coaching to peers who
are having difficulties in that particular area. This can help
top employees develop leadership skills, and at the same time
boost the performance levels of other employees.

Alternatively, you could suggest they give a presentation on

this project, skill, etc. to the team. This will demonstrate an
example of what you’re looking for to other employees and
reinforce your recognition of their success. If employees share

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Giving positive feedback

their successes with the rest of the team more often it will
help foster a sense of community. Encouraging your
employees to give more feedback and empowering them
with new leadership skills is one of the best ways to keep
them challenged and motivated.

Summary and take-aways

An effective manager consistently recognizes their employees’

strengths and achievements with positive feedback. Employees
who feel their work is appreciated by their manager and peers
are highly motivated and more likely to stick with their current
job. Giving more positive feedback can be a great way to
encourage team spirit and a positive work culture.

–– Give examples and be specific

–– Don’t wait too long
–– Give feedback more frequently
–– Don’t base feedback on results
–– Set goals and new challenges
–– Encourage peer-to-peer feedback and sharing
of achievements

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Giving constructive
feedback

Giving constructive feedback to employees may seem like one

of your most difficult tasks as a manager. Just thinking about it
can conjure up images of emotional breakdowns and inflamed
tempers. It doesn’t have to be this way. If you learn to give
constructive feedback effectively, you can avoid the drama and
instead have an insightful conversation with your employee
about their performance, and how they can improve it.

Why should I be giving constructive feedback?

While you may feel uncomfortable giving candid feedback,

studies show that that’s exactly what the majority of your
employees want. A 2014 assessment of employee attitudes
towards “positive” and “corrective” feedback by Zenger/
Folkman revealed that 57% of respondents preferred receiving
corrective to positive feedback. When given properly, 92%
believed “negative” feedback was effective in improving
performance. Interestingly, those who favored constructive
feedback also rated their managers highest for being honest
and straightforward in their reviews. What can be taken away
from these statistics is the fact that most employees want to
know what they can be doing to improve their performance.
Waiting for an annual review to give constructive feedback
risks bringing their professional development to a snail’s pace.

A common mistake managers often make is to focus

constructive feedback on employees who need the most
improvement. Failing to provide your top performers with

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Giving constructive feedback

feedback can actually jeopardize your retention rates. Your

top performers may become frustrated if they feel they’re
not getting advice on how to improve and develop further.
Replacing high-level performers can cost your company 400%
of their annual salary. If you don’t invest time into helping your
top employees hone and broaden their skills, you might lose
them to other opportunities that will better test their abilities.

What’s more, failing to respond promptly to behavioral issues

can lead to greater impacts within your team. For example,
if an employee has a tendency to lose their temper in group
discussions, failing to address the situation may cause tensions
between your employees to boil over by the time performance
reviews come around, causing long term effects. Pointing
out destructive behaviors to your employees will help them
to realize the impact they’re having on the workplace and
encourage them to make changes. Listening will help you to
better understand the situation and any deeper issues which
need to be resolved.

As a manager you’re responsible for ensuring that your

employees are on the same track working towards a common
goal. When there is little communication between you and
your employees, they may drift off in different directions,
prioritizing different objectives. Constructive feedback
helps you to guide your team members in the same direction
and clearly communicate what they should be working
towards. Guidance and clear objectives will enable your team
members to streamline and coordinate their efforts bringing
everyone forward. If you avoid giving candid feedback to
your employees, ultimately it will be harmful not only to the
individual, but to the team as a whole.

How to give constructive feedback

Though it may feel easier to give constructive feedback

through 360 and performance reviews, there are three
reasons why it’s important to balance this with one-on-ones.
Taking time to schedule a more informal face-to-face meeting
shows you really care about your employee’s professional

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Giving constructive feedback

development. It enables you to confirm they understand and

that feedback has been received well. Finally, it gives you a
chance to hear from them (a conversation rather than just an
anonymous or top-down review) and come up with effective
next steps together. For further advice on how managers can
follow up with employees after a 360 review see our blog.

You may still have some employees who view feedback with
a fixed mindset. It’s essential that you handle their reviews
carefully and watch for signs that they may be putting up
barriers to your advice. The more you get into the habit of
giving feedback, the easier it will become for them to transition
their way of thinking. Nonetheless, whether your employee
has a fixed or a growth mindset, it’s crucial that you take the
appropriate steps to avoid confusion and make sure your
comments are received well.

Steps to giving constructive feedback effectively:

Scheduling a one-on-one feedback session

The first thing you should consider is location. Whether in
your office, an empty meeting room or a coffee shop, the
best way to give feedback is one-on-one. If you give your
employee constructive criticism in front of others it can
undermine their confidence and put them on the defensive.
When asking your employee to meet with you, be sure to
frame it in a way that doesn’t cause them to become nervous.
In most employees’ minds, being asked to meet in private
with their manager could flare warning signs about what’s to
come, shedding a negative light on the conversation before
it even starts.

Instead of saying, “can you come to my office so we can

discuss your performance”, ask if you can catch up later to
discuss their progress. Keeping your request informal and
positive will make sure they feel more relaxed about the
prospect of meeting up with you one-on-one. Read further
on how to lead effective one-on-ones.

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Giving constructive feedback

Tone and Delivery

Using the correct tone and delivery is the most important
step to giving effective feedback. Keep in mind the
following guidelines:

Start positive
Balance your constructive feedback by leading the
conversation with something they’re doing well. This will
give them an example of what you’re expectations are and
boost their confidence. Make it clear you want to help them
continue performing and developing these types of skills.
Avoid using words like “but”, “however” and “although” to
link your positive and constructive feedback. Saying, “I like
the way you communicate with others but…” will signal
to them that your positive feedback may not be sincere.

Be clear and specific

It’s important to clearly explain why this is hurting their
performance. The best way to do this is to provide actionable
feedback and specific examples. Saying, “you need to close
more sales,” won’t give your employee enough information.
If instead you say, “I’ve noticed that when speaking with
customers you sometimes miss the opportunity to tell them
about…” This statement encourages them to recall their past
conversations with customers and think about what actions
they could take to change their performance.

Frame your feedback using a growth mindset

Remember that the difference between a fixed and a growth
mindset is that people with a fixed mindset see their abilities
as static so feedback can often be seen as a personal attack.
Framing your feedback in a way that focuses on behavior
rather than traits emphasizes that you are drawing their
attention to certain areas because you believe it will help
them improve their performance. The safest way to avoid this
is to make statements based on facts and observations.

Don’t overdo it
Though you may see several areas your employee needs to
work on, overloading them with feedback could overwhelm

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Giving constructive feedback

them. Avoid confusion by focusing on improving one or two

areas at a time. Wondering what you should target first?
Chief Revenue Officer at Hubspot, Mark Roberge, suggests
using what he calls metrics-driven sales coaching. This
method evolved from his experience taking golf lessons.
Most golf instructors would tell him to turn his grip, change
his stance, shift his weight and turn his wrist to improve
his swing. This became confusing and didn’t lead to any
improvement. Instead, one instructor had him turn his grip
and practice his swing one hundred times. Then he continued
to add and practice one new skill at a time until he finally saw
results. Analyzing metrics of your employee’s performance will
help you decide which skill to work on first.

Find a solution together

Give your employees a chance to respond to your comments
so you can see it from their perspective and properly address
the situation. Remember your job is to give them perspective
on their actions. For example, maybe one of their co-workers
complained that they’re irritable and difficult to work with
because they raise their voice during team meetings. The
employee in question may explain that this is simply the way
they speak when under stress. This not only gives them a
chance to respond, but also to process your feedback.

Once you’ve gathered the facts create a plan together. Give

suggestions of ways they could adjust their performance and
ask what steps they think they could take. This is also a good
way to make sure they understood and will take steps
to change their behavior.

Ask for advice on how you as their manager can help them
to achieve this goal. This will reinforce your willingness to
help them and demonstrate your receptiveness to receiving
feedback yourself. You can also suggest finding an external
mentor who may have a more neutral perspective.

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Giving constructive feedback

Follow up by recognizing achievements

One question managers often struggle with is how to
follow up without feeling like you’re micromanaging. If you
confirmed your employee understood your feedback during
the meeting, and you created some clear goals and
objectives together, you should be able to step back and
let them implement these changes. The best way to show
them they’re on the right track is to follow up by recognizing
when they’ve implemented changes effectively with positive
feedback and encouragement.

Summary and take-aways:

Giving constructive feedback to your employees is an essential
part of your job. Though you may be hesitant to point out
areas in need of improvement, more employees are actually
looking for this kind of advice to help them develop and hone
their professional skills. Learning how to give constructive
feedback effectively will furthermore help you address tensions
in the workplace, provide guidance and improve employee
retention rates.

–– Give one-on-one feedback

–– Start positive
–– Be clear and give examples
–– Use a growth mindset
–– Phrase feedback in a constructive way
–– Limit feedback to one or two areas at a time
–– Find a solution together
–– Follow up by recognize achievements in their progress

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Receiving positive feedback

Do you feel you’re getting the most you can out of the positive
feedback you receive? When your performance review comes
around it can be a great relief to receive positive feedback.
Receiving appreciation for your work can be a great motivator,
automatically boosting your morale. However, many people
fail to take full advantage of the significant resources positive
feedback can provide. Some may feel hesitant to accept
recognition, feeling modest about their achievements. Others
may be good at accepting appreciation but fail to process
it effectively. As a manager it’s particularly important that you
learn how to use positive feedback to benefit your career
and your team.

The Link between your positive feedback and

employee engagement
Gallup’s 2015 report, State of the American Manager: Analytics
and Advice for Leaders, revealed that 51% of US managers are
not engaged at work. This can greatly impact their employees
in what Gallup calls the “cascade effect”. They found that
employees who are supervised by highly engaged managers
are 59% more likely to be engaged at work. Employee
engagement is not simply about being happy but about feeling
committed to your company and caring about your work.
Positive feedback is one of the strongest ways of promoting
company loyalty amongst employees, with 88% valuing
recognition from their managers over monetary rewards.

Even if you feel hesitant accepting it, you have to admit it feels
good to be appreciated for your work. You may confuse this for

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Receiving Positive Feedback

vanity, but it’s actually a natural reaction that occurs when

your brain releases dopamine. Dopamine is what causes the
overall feeling of satisfaction you have when you’ve
achieved your goal.

Whether caused by low self-esteem or perfectionist

tendencies, when receiving a compliment some people fight
against this feeling and try to deflect the positive comments
they’ve received. Constantly seeing your work in a negative
light will bring down your confidence. What you may not
realize is that failing to accept that feeling of satisfaction can
actually impact the quality of your work and by consequence,
the effectiveness of your employees.

New research suggests that dopamine may actually be a great

motivator. While previously linked only to pleasure sensors in
the brain, researchers at the Universitat Jaume I of Castellón
have found evidence that high levels of dopamine can actually
encourage us to act and persevere to achieve goals.

Using your feedback to tap into your strengths

If you learn how to analyze and use positive feedback to

your advantage, you can gain valuable insights into your
professional strengths. Researcher and applied psychology
expert Michelle McQuaid has been at the forefront of what
has been called the ‘Strengths Revolution’. Through her
research she has demonstrated the effectiveness of focusing
on improving professional strengths over weaknesses. The
rationale behind this shift is the motivation that employees feel
when their efforts and abilities are recognized.

According to McQuaid’s research, 71% of managers who

can name their employees strengths are more likely to have
employees who are engaged and energized. A Gallup study
has supported these findings, revealing that managers who
are focused on strengths are 86% more likely to achieve above
average performance levels. Identifying your strengths will
help you to create goals for the future and come up with more

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Receiving Positive Feedback

effective ways of approaching a problem. Positive feedback

is the key to unlocking your strengths based potential.

Four main steps that will help you to harness the

benefits of positive feedback:

Share appreciation
The way you respond to feedback is just as important as
learning how to accept it. If your feedback is based on a team
success it’s essential that you recognize your employees
for their efforts and share the good feeling with everyone.
Recognizing your team will boost motivation and engagement.
Your employees will also feel a stronger sense of community
when group efforts are recognized, building team spirit.
What’s more, sharing recognition will demonstrate you’re not
the kind of manager who will try to take all the credit for your
employees’ hard work.

For example, if you receive positive feedback from upper

management you can recognize your employees’ efforts by
saying, “Thank you, we had an amazing group of people
working on this project and we couldn’t have done it without
the participation of the whole team.” Share your recognition
with the rest of the team by saying, “You played a key role in
our achievement and our senior management has been very
satisfied with the results, lets keep it up and continue looking
for new opportunities.”

Identify your strengths and use them to power up your

management style
To identify your strengths, separate the facts from opinions.
This is particularly helpful if you’re uncertain whether the
feedback you were given was sincere. If your reviewer tells you
that you’re a great organizer, ask for specific examples in which
you demonstrated this ability. After you’ve received positive
feedback from multiple sources compare what was said and
see if you can pick out any common threads.

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Receiving Positive Feedback

Your strengths may not be traditional assets like being a

good listener, team player, etc. Watch for abilities that
others consider to be strengths. For example, facilitating
the integration of the whole group or managing different
personalities to get the best out of the team.

Relying on your strengths rather than trying to use

weaknesses when an important assignment comes up can
help you succeed. Think about how you can utilize your
strengths to approach a problem in a different way. Based on
your strengths, what in particular can you bring to the team?

How can you leverage your strengths to benefit your team?

Now that you’ve learned how to process your positive
feedback it’s important to help your employees do the same.
Showing appreciation to your employees is an effective way
of improving your employees’ job satisfaction and confidence.
Furthermore, if your team knows what each other’s strengths
are it will become easier to delegate and assign tasks to
the most suitable person, making your projects even more
successful. Learning how to use your strengths will make you
the perfect coach to teach your employees how to identify
and utilize theirs effectively.

Set Goals for Yourself

Don’t take strengths for granted, they are skills which should
continue to be developed. In an article directed towards
teachers experiencing burnout at the end of the school year,
Neurologist Judy Willis suggests using a video game model
of goal setting to kick start dopamine-induced motivation.
The video game model involves three essential components:
“buy-in, achievable challenges, and frequent awareness of
achievable progress en route to the final goal.” This tactic can
be instrumental in helping students achieve a growth mindset,
and it can also help teachers reach their goals in the classroom.

However, Willis asserts that these goals should be based on

activities you will enjoy doing. This is where your strengths

The managers guide to effective

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Receiving Positive Feedback

can come in handy. In an interview, McQuaid explained that

she uses her curiosity to learn and share something new
with her employees every day. To achieve this goal she lays
a book or article across her keyboard every evening. This
forces her to pick it up and read for ten minutes before she
turns her computer on the next morning. She then shares this
information with her boss, a co-worker or her employees.

Tracking your progress with positive feedback at work can

similarly help you to stay engaged and even improve your
performance. So the next time you receive positive feedback,
instead of brushing it off allow yourself to enjoy the moment
and benefit from it.

Summary and take-aways:

Everyone feels good receiving recognition for their work.

Learning how to channel your positive feedback into your
professional development plan will help you to identify your
strengths and boost your motivation at work.

–– Recognize your team’s contribution

–– Analyze feedback to gain insights into your strengths
–– Use your strengths to improve and streamline your
management style
–– Find ways to use your strengths to benefit the rest of the
team
–– Set achievable goals for yourself so you can continue
developing your skills every day

The managers guide to effective

feedback
23

Receiving constructive
feedback

A 2012 Gallup survey found that 45% of actively disengaged

employees in Germany would fire their supervisor on the spot if
they could. Psychologist Michelle McQuaid’s survey found that
65% of employees in the US would prefer a better boss to a pay
raise. A global study by Development Dimensions International
revealed that 60% of employees surveyed said their boss had
damaged their self-esteem. Another international poll by
Monster.com reported that 84% of respondents thought they
would do a better job than their manager. These statistics
should be dramatic warning signals for managers everywhere.

Before you assume this couldn’t be the case in your company,

think about the last time you asked your employees for
feedback on your performance. Failure in communication
between managers and employees is one of the leading causes
of declining job satisfaction and higher employee turnover
rates. Gallup’s 2015 report on management in the US revealed
that employees whose managers were not approachable were
65% more likely to be actively disengaged. If the last time you
asked your employees for feedback was more than a month
ago, it’s time to rethink your strategy.

Impact of failing to ask your employees’ for

feedback

Having an open and fluid communication with your employees

is what will make or break your career as a manager. If your
employees feel comfortable speaking candidly with you

The managers guide to effective

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Receiving constructive feedback

about your performance you’ll be able to identify destructive

behaviors, anticipate conflicts within the team and pick up on
what they expect from you as their manager.

The constructive feedback you receive may surprise you. Keep

in mind that your actions may be sending unintended signals.
If you tend to raise your voice when discussing an exciting new
idea, your employees may mistake your suggestions for orders.
This could make them feel hesitant to offer different opinions.

Similarly, talking with your team regularly can alert you

to situations between employees that might require your
intervention. If an employee is displaying destructive behavior
without your knowledge, it could impact the office as a whole.
Cornerstone OnDemand found that having just one toxic
employee in a team of twenty can make your best employees
54% more likely to quit, leading to significant replacement
costs for the company. Constant outbursts between co-workers
can bring morale down and make it difficult to complete team
projects.

Furthermore, your employees won’t feel as motivated to

implement the feedback you give them if they don’t see you
actively trying to improve your own performance. Not being
open to criticism yourself makes it a one-sided situation and
undermines how your employees see your feedback. Learning
how to take constructive feedback well will encourage your
employees to do the same.

How to get your employees to give you more

constructive feedback

Even if you are now motivated to receive constructive

feedback from your employees, they might not be lining up
to give it to you. If you don’t encourage them to objectively
assess your performance, your employees’ will most likely not
do so on their own. Remember that in most employees’ minds
job security is very tightly linked to keeping the boss happy.
Losing your temper will only solidify their decision to never

The managers guide to effective

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25
Receiving constructive feedback

give you honest feedback. This means you will also need to
learn how to control your emotions. Following these steps
will help you get the feedback you need.

Schedule regular feedback session

Scheduling regular one-on-one sessions with your employees is
a good way to get them comfortable with giving you feedback.
If they become accustomed to having casual monthly or
weekly discussions with you about their performance, they’ll be
more likely to feel comfortable giving you honest constructive
feedback. Additionally, Gallup’s 2015 management report found
that employees who have regular meetings with their managers
are three times more likely to be engaged than employees who
do not. See our blog for further reading on how to run effective
one-on-ones.

If you’re still having trouble getting your employees’ to open up,

you can start off by offering them the option to give feedback
anonymously. You can do this the traditional way by opening
a suggestion box and reading submissions on a weekly or
monthly basis. Alternatively, you can also use a feedback
app that will allow your employees to send you anonymous
feedback instantly from their phone. Whichever route you
decide to take, make sure to demonstrate to your employees
how you’re implementing their feedback. Seeing you take steps
to follow their suggestions will encourage them to be more
open.

Ask the right questions

Most employees will feel uncomfortable giving their managers
constructive feedback. Asking them the right questions will
help you coax out real answers. If you want your employee’s
straightforward opinion on an issue, try asking them a yes or
no question. If you ask them, “Am I providing you with enough
opportunities to develop your professional skills?” they won’t
have much room to be vague.

If you want more detailed information try asking open-ended

The managers guide to effective

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26
Receiving constructive feedback

questions. For example, “If you were a manager, how would

you support your reports in their professional development
process?”

Control your emotions

The most important part of getting your employees to give you
more constructive feedback is to keep your emotions in check.
In asking them to give you candid feedback, you’re inviting
them to communicate openly without fear of reprisal. Everyone
is prone to becoming emotional or angry when they feel
threatened. This feeling can trigger fight or flight warning signs
in your brain which result in the tense feeling and increased
heartbeat you feel when your start to get angry. If you let your
emotions prevail, you’ll be breaking the unspoken agreement
between you and your employee and ensure they won’t give
you honest feedback in the future.

Remember this is your opportunity to find out what your

employees think about your management style and how it
can be improved to make them feel more engaged in the
workplace. If you start to feel your employees are undermining
your authority with the type of feedback they’re giving you,
take your emotions into consideration. Think about what
they’re telling you, ask questions and analyze whether they’re
basing their feedback on opinions or facts.

Understand their perspective

Think about why your employee is giving you constructive
feedback. There are three main reasons that will motivate them
to speak with you. The first involves questions concerning
their personal career growth. If your employee feels they’re not
being challenged enough this may be attributed to a lack of
opportunities from your side.

Your employees will also expect you to address major issues

in the workplace and encourage a positive atmosphere in the
office. For example, if one of your employees is consistently
creating a toxic environment with their negative attitude

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Receiving constructive feedback

towards others, it’s considered the manager’s job to find a

solution and maintain order.

Finally, their feedback may concern your management style

in particular. Maybe your employees feel your workload
expectations are too high or you’re not easily approachable.
Think about how this might be affecting the individual or the
team as a whole.

How can you improve employee satisfaction?

Having seen things from your employees’ perspective, think
about ways you could address their feedback. If their feedback
concerns professional development, you should consider
what you’re doing to help them improve their performance.
Remedies to this gap could include coaching, giving more
feedback, training, leadership opportunities and giving more
assignments that fit their goals and interests.

A problem in the workplace may require you to step in to

diffuse an office conflict or speak with an employee about their
destructive behavior.

A management problem could be more difficult to deal with,

as in this instance it’s you that needs to accept changes to your
behavior. Remember not to get defensive, even if your actions
were merely misinterpreted, what matters is that you realize
how it affects your employees and find some way to alter your
behavior accordingly. Some common remedies may include
adjusting your tone of voice, being more open to employees’
opinions, making yourself available for questions more often
and spending more time ensuring your instructions are clear.

The managers guide to effective

feedback
28
Receiving constructive feedback

Summary and take-aways:

Receiving constructive feedback may not always be easy,

especially when it comes from your employees. However,
it can give you highly useful insights into your employees’
expectations, things that need to be improved in the
workplace and how your reports perceive you. Following
these steps will help you conquer your emotions and
encourage your employees’ to become comfortable giving
you more constructive feedback.

–– Get into the habit of holding regular one-on-ones

with employees
–– Get more information by asking targeted questions
–– Keep your emotions at bay
–– See things for their perspective
–– Ask yourself how you can improve your employees’
work life

The managers guide to effective

feedback
 Thank you

Ready to make the first step and forge a culture

where individuals and leaders feel valued,
motivated and empowered?

Contact us to start the conversation.

www.impraise.com
info@impraise.com

The managers guide to effective

feedback