Timely and Honest Feedback, It’s Power!

A critical success factor to one’s getting better, to making a change, to achieving a breakthrough, is regular feedback. At an International Coaching Federation Conference I attended this week, a presenter used this example, “Do you think Serena Williams or Phil Mickelson or a great performer in the arts just gets annual feedback?” The answer is, no, of course not. They work with their coach consistently and regularly, always striving to improve.

Yet, most employers have an annual performance review system.

When I was with Johnson & Higgins and we developed our quality initiative and strategy for continuous improvement, we encouraged everyone within the company to give ongoing, immediate feedback to one another, first positive, then constructive. By constructive, we intended that everyone share what they felt someone might have done better in a particular situation.

This feedback was expected, no matter the difference in experience or position. “Here’s what I saw, here’s what you did very well, here’s how I noticed our clients received you, and here’s a suggestion of what you might think about for the future.”

Even a young new team member, an old timer, or a person in the background who may have been taken for granted, has observations and ideas for improvement that can make a difference.

Timely, honest feedback requires an understanding that we are all seeking to be better, that we are here to support one another, that we cannot be insecure and defensive, that we must trust one another, that the competition is not within our company – it is our outside competitors – and that we are committed to helping one another grow.