The Positive Spin For Negative Feedback

If someone is unable to discover on their own through probing and “conversational interviewing” the area of needed improvement, don’t point out what is wrong but rather what can be done to achieve a result that is important or desirable to both parties involved. For example, rather than show someone stressed out at work, Corona© shows us through their advertising campaigns that that if you drink their beer, you will be relaxing on a peaceful beach in the Caribbean. Alcohol advertisers are masters of this type of tactic!

We can all agree that feedback is a necessity in any type of relationship, but the actual giving and receiving of it can be a bit arduous in many aspects. Feedback can take many forms: 360 assessments, conversations with your clients, performance reviews, customer/employee opinion surveys, chatting over dinner with significant others, and check-ins with those reporting to you – to name a few. Positive feedback is fun and easier, so let’s talk about the harder part of feedback: the areas of needed improvement – A.K.A. critical feedback.  Ideally, and if feedback is being given in a face-to-face interaction, with proper probing and reflective listening, the reviewee will discover the areas of needed improvement that need addressing and then resistance is minimized and growth strategies can begin to be developed. However, sometimes the issue needs to be presented by the reviewer as they are the one who has taken the responsibility for the other’s growth (by giving feedback as well as by being their manager). The problem is that many times the reviewer’s critical feedback takes on an air of criticism that leads to excuses, defensive behaviors, frustration and resentment.

A wonderful way to reduce these negative outcomes is to give the “negative” feedback in specific, actionable, positive steps with a positive pairing of what’s in it for the reviewee to begin correcting the needed areas. For example, if  the boss of an employee named Natalie is filling in the comment box on her Annual Performance Appraisal and says something like “Natalie has poor customer service orientation,” she may feel attacked, wary of where the information came from, discouraged and unmotivated.  Now if the same issue is addressed in a manner more along the lines of “If Natalie increased her attention to the needs, wants and behaviors of her customers (specific actionable steps), she would be able to further strengthen her customer relations and  increase her sales and commission earned  (paired with a positive outcome that Natalie and her employer care about),” she is more likely to feel cared about (the reviewer took a few extra seconds to specify what would make her better), empowered, and integral part of the organization (or relationship), and motivated! WIN-WIN!

By choosing words that support your associates, you are choosing to help support your business, as well. Make sure to think, react and manage with a positive spin to eliminate negative work!

The above article was  contributed by Jonathan Eisler, MA, Organizational Consultant at RAJ Associates. While most would say that the reason any company and those that work there exist is to make money (an operations mentality), RAJ Associates believes the reason all businesses SHOULD exist is to acquire new relationships and improve upon the ones that they already have (a marketing mentality).  Our team of Industrial Organizational Psychologists  works collaboratively to deliver high impact training, coaching and professional development  that assists managers in becoming coaches, sales reps becoming consultants and customer service agents becoming client advocates so that adaptive constructive change is inevitable! Get in touch to learn more.  www.jonathaneisler.com, www.rajassoc.com, (312) 943-0479, jonathan@rajassoc.com