Home
>
Team Building
>
Team Member Feedback: A Priceless Communication Tool

Team Member Feedback: A Priceless Communication Tool

Feedback is such an important communication tool. Openness, honesty, candor, trust -- all of these are hallmarks of high performance teams and organizations. Good feedback skills are essential to any relationship.

Feedback is important because:

- It prevents small issues from festering into unmanageable problems.

- It builds trust in relationships.

- It promotes personal and professional growth.

- It acknowledges individual and team accomplishments.

- It clears up misunderstandings.

- It is a way to acknowledge and recognize team members' skills and contributions.

As a result, effective feedback makes life at work a great deal easier and more rewarding.

So how do you give someone effective feedback? First, ensure your intention is to be helpful and supportive, rather than to "slam." Check to make sure the person wants and is ready to accept feedback, if you haven't been asked to provide it. Before providing your feedback, ask the person for their assessment of the situation.

But, how do you say it? What words do you use that will ensure the message is delivered properly? Be specific. Describe the actual behavior you observed, not personality traits. Avoid generalities, vague statements, and inferences. Use "I" statements: I saw..., I heard..., I felt... Describe the impact of the behavior on you: "I felt...when you..." Be sincere with your comments. Don't say that something was good when you don't really believe it.

It's important to give a balanced mix of both positive feedback and feedback for improvement. Try to end with a positive comment. Be sure that the feedback recipient has understood your comments. Encourage a response.

Another important point. Consider timeliness. Don't "store up" feedback of either kind and dump it on a person. Feedback is much more effective if provided close to the time the behavior actually occurred.

There are two types of feedback -- Positive feedback and feedback for improvement.

Positive Feedback - Positive feedback is information about what someone did well. There's a very simple approach you can use when giving positive feedback.

- Describe what the person actually did or said, and

- Why this statement or action was effective.

Make sure your "What and Why" approach is based on specific, sincere information. For example: "Mary, when you presented the results of the team's customer satisfaction survey, your charts were very clear and easy to understand (what). They made it easy to identify which areas we need to work on to make our customers happier (why).."

Feedback for Improvement - Feedback for improvement is given about situations which did not go well, or which could have been better. In this case, it's important to tell the person specifically what could have been said or done differently, and why that would have been more effective.

The approach to giving feedback for improvement is:

- Describe what was said or done,

- Tell what would have been a better approach, and

- Why that would have been better

Make sure your "What, What and Why" approach is based on specific, sincere information. For example: "George, when you commented on Ted's report, I felt your remarks sounded sarcastic and not specific enough to be helpful (what). If you tell Ted exactly what additional information is necessary (what), he'll be able to incorporate the information you feel is needed when he revises the report (why).."

Receiving Feedback

There's also special skill required when receiving feedback. If you ask for feedback, be sure you are ready to receive it. Actively listen with your full attention. Ask for specific examples of what you did well and what could have been better. Ask questions to clarify, and paraphrase to check your understanding. Don't resist the feedback and avoid being defensive -- don't explain, rationalize or justify. Listen for the impact your behavior is having on the other person. Consider carefully whether, and how you want to change your behavior. Let others know immediately so they can support you. Ask for help and assistance, if appropriate. Most importantly, thank others when they provide you feedback. They have taken a risk to help you grow.

Remember: Feedback is a gift, a unique learning opportunity. Whether you agree or not, it has value because it represents a set of perceptions about you and your behavior.

Denise O'Berry (aka 'Team Doc') provides tools, tips and advice to help organizations build better teams. Find out more at http://www.teambuildingtips.com

personalized cleaning services Des Plaines ..

In The News:

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Team Member Feedback: A Priceless Communication Tool

Team Building