Bill Hawkins shares his six-step model for providing corrective feedback.
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Transcript
In my seminars and workshops, I tell leaders that providing feedback is probably the most important element of coaching. People need to know where they stand, what are they doing well, what areas do they need to improve. As obvious as this may seem, research shows that most managers don’t do it. We don’t provide enough positive reinforcement and we especially avoid giving constructive feedback.
Personally, when I’m in a situation where I need to provide corrective feedback, I can hear my father’s voice from childhood, “Bill, if you don’t have something good to say about someone . . .” and a lot of you were raised the same way and can finish that statement for me, can’t you? Don’t say anything. We find it awkward, uncomfortable and potentially embarrassing to tell people that their performance needs improvement. So we put it off, we delay, we procrastinate, hoping the situation will improve on its own. Many times it doesn’t and in fact, it may get worse. So if you’re a leader in your organization, a mother or a father and you don’t want your children to grow up to be spoiled brats, you need to occasionally provide corrective feedback.
In my coaching practice, I am frequently asked, “Do you have any suggestions? Are there ways of doing this that are better than others?” Of all the coaching and feedback models out there, I do have a favorite, and I’d like to share it with you. I like it for three reasons. First, it respects the dignity of the person receiving the feedback. Second, it’s structured in a positive way to increase the person’s ability to really hear and accept the message. And finally, there’s a future, a ‘what are you going to do differently’ orientation, that should give you the immediate positive adjustment in performance that you’re looking for. It’s a six-step process.
Step one, describe the situation specifically and concisely. Now you should be able to do this in a sentence or two. Now I know that for some of you this is going to seem nearly impossible. “But Bill, there’s history, there’s context. I need to build my case.” Don’t do it. No longwinded buildup, no history, no blame. And do it in behavior terms. Avoid a discussion about their attitude. After all, you don’t really know why they did it. You just know it was done. For example, “In our last meeting, which was attended by several members of senior management, you interrupted the meeting three times to talk about difficult issues you’re experiencing with the merger.” Getting the description down to a couple of concise sentences is a good start, but it may not impact the person the way you hoped it would. Think of the teenager who just heard, “Your room is a mess.” You may likely get the response, “So what?” You have to position this so they can see the impact of what they did or said.
Step two, describe the effect of the person’s behavior on you, the department, the team, the customer, and importantly, on themselves. For example, in meetings like this, if you bring up problem after problem without suggestions, alternatives or success stories, you can bring the whole team down. “We’re all experiencing some difficulties and I need you to help us to set a more positive tone for our team. As you know I have been positioning you for a promotion. When you do this, senior management can get the impression that you’re really not doing your best to make this merger a success. It can negatively impact your opportunity for promotion.” The key in step two is that the person being coached understands how their behavior is negatively impacting themselves and others. Then if possible, say something to minimize the embarrassment — yours and theirs. Maybe something like, “This isn’t like you.”
Which brings us to step three: Ask the person what’s going on. “What happened?” The key now is that you give them an opportunity to explain and then listen. And I mean really listen to their explanation. Don’t interrupt them. Don’t argue. Acknowledge their position. Even if you see it differently or disagree, you can still recognize the situation. I mean, after all, if you were in their shoes you would indeed see it that way. Why do I suggest this approach? To get them off the defensive. Trust me, the other person isn’t going to be very interested in hearing your input, your analysis or suggestions until they feel that they’ve been heard. They feel like you understand where they’re coming from, know why they did what they did. Remember, even if they get some facts wrong (and they might), even if you disagree (you probably will), don’t argue. Instead, just try and see it from their point of view.
Now you’re ready for step four, and this is a key step: Get their buy-in. Help the person take responsibility for the situation. You noticed I didn’t say, “Help the person take their fair share.” Who determines what’s fair anyway? As Steven Covey would say, “Begin with the end in mind.” Your purpose here isn’t to get the person to feel awful. There’s no useful purpose in arguing over whose fault was this. Did he have adequate training? Was her orientation clear? Were there other people doing the same thing? If you really want them to do something different next time, your goal is to get them to accept a share of the responsibility and move forward. It might sound something like this: “You’re right, it was a new situation for you. The instructions weren’t clear. There were other people who were also negative. I understand that. Let me ask you, what could you have done differently?”
Once you get some buy-in that indeed they might have handled this differently, you’re ready for step five. Develop a plan. Faced with the same situation, what would you do differently next time? Once the person is aware of the situation and that you’re dissatisfied, there’s a really good chance that they’re going to be able to come with an alternative for the future. If not, be prepared to offer help, but my experience is they’ll have ideas. A suggestion here: Resist the temptation to perfect their plan. If they’re anywhere close, go with it. Effectiveness is an equation. Results equal the quality of the idea times the motivation to implement that idea. Too many times we see leaders get an 80% good idea and 100% motivation to implement that idea. And then they feel the need to improve that idea with a few good thoughts of their own. “Yes, that’s good, but I suggest you do this, try that and don’t forget the importance of preparation.” The suggestions may be good but what happens to ownership? Whose good idea is this now? What happens to the motivation to actually implement that idea? If you don’t watch it, you’ve now improved the idea a little but decreased ownership and motivation significantly. Your great plan that they may nod their head and accept is still your plan. If it doesn’t work, your fingerprints are all over it. You’re much better off with an acceptable plan that was theirs, their idea; they own it. Now you’re ready for the last step.
Step six, get a commitment. Now, most people you work with take their commitments very seriously. Get one. It sounds something like this. “So next time the situation comes up, do I have your commitment that you’ll do this?” And then finally conclude by stating your confidence in the person. Something like, “I have every confidence that you will.”
There you have it. A quick, six-step process to put some structure around doing something that’s difficult and uncomfortable for many of us. You aren’t going to use this every day. There are times where you need to approach a subject that may have some sensitivity. You may anticipate this might be a difficult conversation. Try this model, it works.
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