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I have not been delivering timely correcting feedback to my direct. Now, I have a list of negative behaviors that have accumulated over time. Since I have been giving positive feedback, I think delivering a lot of negatives will catch him off guard (he thinks he's doing well).

I understand the parts of the feedback model, but how much is too much at one time? What is the best strategy for delivering correcting feedback when it has been absent up until now?

This experience definitely points to the value of both positive and negative feedback!

Thanks.

TomW's picture
Training Badge

Since you are already noting his behaviors as they happen, it's just a matter of providing feedback on the behaviors in need of adjustment as they happen. Don't give feedback on things that are done and gone.

Still, don't let the proportion of adjusting exceed about 1/5 of the feedback you give. 5 parts affirming and 1 part adjusting is about my "worst case" mix.

tlhausmann's picture
Licensee BadgeTraining Badge

As posted in another forum from Drucker's "Effective Executive"

p. 158 "Executives are not paid for doing things they like to do. They are paid for getting the right things done"

It is part of the job and also know where your heart is...find a way to deliver corrective feedback with positive intent.

jhack's picture

I assume you'll follow the "rolling out the trinity" guidelines...

Remember, you have to give the feedback like it's no big deal.

John

mikehansen's picture

[quote]I have not been delivering timely correcting feedback to my direct. Now, I have a list of negative behaviors that have accumulated over time. Since I have been giving positive feedback, I think delivering a lot of negatives will catch him off guard (he thinks he's doing well).
[/quote]

I am not sure if you intend to give feedback for past behavior or not. I would certainly minimize this if possible and focus on going forward. Remember that FB is about encouraging effective behavior in the future. Therefore, it is ok to wait for the bad behavior to occur again, and give FB then. If it doesn't, then great. Problem solved.

If there are major incidents as opposed to minor course corrections, you definitely need to raise them. Perhaps a mid-cycle performance review would be a good way to kick off a discussion if there are several points you want to address. If you take a semi-formal approach, I would suggest not using the feedback model verbatim (meaning, don't ask the question "can I.." since "no" is not a valid response if you have scheduled a meeting to go over his performance.). Other than that, stay true to the behavior-> consequences model, including their accepting of ownership. (If this does not ring familiar, revisit the FB casts).

[quote]I understand the parts of the feedback model, but how much is too much at one time? What is the best strategy for delivering correcting feedback when it has been absent up until now? [/quote]

There is nothing wrong with building on positive FB by starting to give corrective. This is how it is supposed to be done. however, it needs to be one-offs over time. If you want to address several points at once, use a scheduled meeting/performance review.

Do not sit him down and give him a slew of corrective feedback all at once, unless you want to forever taint the FB model with him :)

My .02,
Mike