I’m working on the revisions to my book. It is due to 5 beta readers later this month. I’m working on the feedback section now which covers both positive and negative (or constructive) feedback; yes feedback can be positive too! It itemizes the benefits of giving feedback, the aversions of why people don’t do it and illustrates a model of what to do and how to do it. It’s a true list of tips and tricks with plenty of examples to help readers formulate their own feedback.
The benefits of giving feedback are almost too obvious to state – and they are the same whether the feedback is positive or negative/constructive.
- People feel valued because overall you give noticeably more positive feedback than negative/constructive (research says financially successful companies give positive feedback 4-5 times for every 1 piece of negative feedback given)
- People feel that you care about their performance and hence them because you are taking time to communicate specifics with them
- People learn what you expect and what success looks like – by you reinforcing it when you point out the positives and by you illustrating what’s better when you point out the improvement
- People are seen and heard as individuals
- Others see what good looks like and what’s expected when you give positive feedback to other people in public
- You create a feedback culture in the organization thereby having everyone contribute to good/better performance
- Peoples’ ineffective actions are improved or their positive behaviour continues (or even increases in frequency) thereby positively impacting the business
- Company performance improves
- You are perceived as observant, engaged and a people-person (by your team and potentially peers and superiors)
Would you please let me know any benefit I have forgotten? I’d like to have 10 in my list rather than 9 and have been racking my brain for that elusive last one!
