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  • How Valuable is Feedback?

    How Valuable is Feedback?

    Article | Accountability Insights

    by  |

    Over the past two decades, we have implemented feedback processes in thousands of organizations with millions of people at every organizational level in countries around the world. The experience has taught us invaluable lessons about the extraordinary power associated with the giving and receiving of feedback. Here are a few of them:

    • Feedback doesn’t happen unless you make it happen.
    • It’s easier to ?lter feedback than it is to accept it.
    • People don’t usually act on feedback without some sort of follow-up.
    • Feedback declines after people improve because they inevitably assume it’s no longer necessary.
    • Organizations underestimate the diffculty involved in getting people to give and receive feedback.
    • People appreciate the feedback they receive only after they have applied it and seen its impact on their results.

    When we regularly seek and offer feedback with the intent to improve individual and organizational performance, we not only demonstrate genuine respect for each other, but we also achieve consistently better results. That’s the value of feedback.

    Most successful leaders realize that honest feedback—received and given, appreciative and constructive—is essential to sustainable success. So why don’t leaders and managers exchange feedback more often?

    One business leader, determined to change his organization’s culture, began asking his direct reports :

    • whether they thought seeking or giving feedback to someone else was effective
    • then he asked them whether they thought going around someone to his or her boss or going to a peer in hope that he or she would say something to someone else was effective
    • finally, he asked them whether they thought not telling the truth or not hearing the truth, as someone else sees it, was effective.

    Within a few months, his direct reports got the message and started exchanging feedback more honestly and more frequently. And, yes, the culture of the team and the organization changed for the better.

    To learn more about how feedback can help you create a Culture of Accountability for achieving desired results in your organization, we invite you to join the Accountability Community at www.partnersinleadership.com, where you can review actual client case studies.

    Sign up for one of our upcoming webinars to learn how you can use accountability to become an even stronger leader.

    Culture of Accountability and Accountability Community are registered trademarks of Partners In Leadership, Inc. All other registered trademarks and trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

  • 3 Feedback Mistakes to Avoid

    3 Feedback Mistakes to Avoid

    External Article | Accountability Insights

    by  | Mar 2, 2017

    Leaders need to stop giving feedback and start listening to it!

     Read the original article here (links to Inc. Magazine  – “Avoid These 3 Mistakes When Giving Feedback“)

    By Mattson Newell (@MattsonNewell), a Director for Partners In Leadership who works with leaders to create greater workplace accountability and facilitates enterprise-wide culture change.

    Feedback, speaking up, having tough conversations and communication in general have all been well emphasized for decades in the business world. The one area where emphasis lacks is… listening!

    Mistake #1: Avoiding Feedback

    We all love to give feedback, but how many of us love to receive feedback? Why is this? Research shows that too often we correlate feedback to negative experiences. In fact, in a recent Workplace Accountability Study it showed that 80% of people felt feedback only occurs when something goes wrong.

    You can see why this would be a problem! If people believed feedback only happens when something goes wrong then we would all be avoiding feedback like the plague! This is where we need to start, feedback needs to happen continually, not just when something goes wrong.

    Mistake #2: Giving vs. Receiving

    Forget everything your parents told you about giving is better than receiving when it comes to feedback, receiving is far superior. Leaders can fall into the trap that they need to have all the answers and always be looking to give feedback. Jack Welch, former CEO of GE, had a different perspective. He shared this:

    “I was never the smartest guy in the room. From the first person I hired, I was never the smartest guy in the room. And that’s a big deal. And if you’re going to be a leader – if you’re a leader and you’re the smartest guy in the world – in the room, you’ve got real problems.”

    With this perspective leaders would constantly be seeking the feedback of others, not just looking to give it to others.

    Tom Smith, former CEO of Partners In Leadership, taught an important lesson early on in my career. He said, “You have to learn to love to be corrected.”

    Even the Greeks saw an issue with speaking verse listening, as the Greek Philosopher Epictetus said, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” As leaders, focus on seeking feedback, rather than giving it.

    READY. SET. CONNECT.

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    Mistake #3: Responding to Feedback

    How you respond to feedback largely dictates how much feedback you are going to get. Will people really be open and candid with you if you respond negatively or get upset the minute they tell you some feedback you don’t really want to hear? When receiving feedback try to follow these 3 steps:

    1. Actively Listen: Make sure you are tuned in, body language is in check, and the person feels you are engaged in the conversation

    2. Say, “Thank you!” Thank them for taking the time to develop you and give you feedback.

    3. Follow-Up: If you have some things to work on from the feedback you received, follow-up with that person and ask them how you are doing. You not only help them feel validated with the feedback they gave you, but you are now building a relationship with them as a coach, someone invested in your success.

    Next Steps

    Moving forward don’t fall into the trap of just giving feedback and feeling like you need to be the smartest person in the room, rather be a listening leader. This next week reach out to 4 people and ask for their feedback. As you actively listen, thank them and follow-up. You will be surprised from what you might learn from their valuable feedback.

  • The Conversation Process Every Manager Should Follow in Employee Reviews

    The Conversation Process Every Manager Should Follow in Employee Reviews

    Original Story appeared in ClearCompany

    Effective employee reviews aren’t something leaders do at employees; reviews are something that leaders   do with employees. Use these questions to gauge and establish employee alignment within your organization, then follow up accordingly to solicit feedback from employees in regards to how they’re managed.

    This gives the employee the chance to provide upward feedback in a conversational dialogue, rather than a formal review setup, and gives managers and employees great insight into each perspective.

    Ask this first… What are your personal, professional goals?

    Follow up with this…What’s one key strength you think I should leverage more in my role to support your goals?

    This starts off the conversation by asking the employee about themselves so they can recall their goals and begin the conversation on a positive note. By following their answer with a question about your key strength and how it impacts their goals, you allow the employee to make a connection between you as their manager and what they want out of life and their career.

    You don’t have to put them on the spot with these questions. Send them out in advance so your employee can prepare their answers for a more meaningful review. This also fosters alignment in the manager- employee relationship and sets a positive tone for the rest of the review.

    Ask this first…    Can you please explain to me what you believe the company goals, vision and strategy are?

    Follow up with this…What’s one thing I can do to help us be more effective in reaching our goals?

    Follow up with this…Do you understand your personal role in the company goals, vision and strategy?

    Then ask this…What’s one thing I can do to better support you in your role?

    Research shows only 29% of employees can correctly identify their company’s strategy out of six choices. With 70% of all employees misaligned with a company’s strategic direction, this question has to be asked. It must be done exactly after the employee has identified their own personal and professional goals so they can begin to align them with those of their organization. By following their answer with a question about how you, as their manager, can support the entire team, it allows them to analyze the big picture.

    By moving to this set of questions, we enable the employee to move from the big picture perspective to their position within it. Bring the conversation full circle by inviting the employee to give specific examples of how you, other managers or other members of the team can support their role. Research shows that supportive managers can result in cost savings for lower turnover and lower stress, according to Purdue Krannert School of Management.

    Ask this first… What are your strongest motivators to come to this place to work every day                           

    Follow up with this…What’s the one thing you like most about your job? What’s the one thing you like least?

    Follow up with this…Name some things that de-motivate you about your position.

    Then ask this…Name one thing we can do to make ________________ more tolerable?

    Encourage them to be completely honest and transparent in their answers. Most of us generally can say our strongest motivator to come to work every day is to make enough money to pay our bills and survive. So that’s why we ask “to come to this place”.

    Something to consider: companies using employee incentive programs report a 79% success rate in achieving their established goals when the correct reward is offered. Use the following question to lead into what de-motivates the employee so you can begin brainstorming ideas to make the situation better.

    Many causes of demotivation can be: micromanagement, lack of progress, job insecurity, lack of recourse for poor performance, poor communication, unpleasant coworkers, boredom, etc. No matter what the case, you want to bring those aspects of de-motivation to light and identify ways they can become more tolerable.

    Ask this first… Do you understand why we use the processes and practices in place?

    Follow up with this…What’s one thing I can do to be more effective at _______________________?

    Follow up with this…What would you change about those processes and practices?

    Then ask this…What’s one thing you like and one thing you thought could be improved about…?

    The Boston Consulting Group found that procedures in organizations have increased anywhere from 50% to 350% over the last 15 years and managers spend 40% of their time writing reports and 30% to 60% of it in coordinating meetings.

    Too much process and procedure can hamper productivity, but how do you know which ones to get rid of? Ask! However, encourage employees to elaborate on areas where leadership can be more effective in the process so you know exactly which parts aren’t working or holding them back or to clear up any misconceptions.

     

  • From Intern to Employee: The Right Moves to Make

    From Intern to Employee: The Right Moves to Make

    by Sylvie Woolf

    Getting an internship is one of the best things a student can do to jump-start their professional career. While a paid internship is always preferable, even unpaid internships offer valuable on-site job experience that just can’t be obtained through college. In fact, 61.4% of students in a 2014 study had previous internship experience before they were offered a job.

    Internships give students an excellent platform on which to build their careers, whether they plan on staying with the company long term or not. If, however, an intern finds that the company they’re working for is a good fit, they might find themselves asking, “What can I do to land this position?” Fortunately, when the right steps are taken, an internship can quickly and easily transition into a full-blown job offer.

    Step 1: Pay Attention to Culture

    Although many internships are very structured, there are some things that usually go unsaid; company culture is one of them. Though many workplaces don’t have a well-defined company culture, there are always some trends an intern can pick up on. One way to do some sleuthing is to learn about the company’s mission and discover what it values in its employees. Finding out what makes a great employee for that company gives an intern something to work toward. Take a look at the company’s social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even Snapchat to get a glimpse into what it’s like to work there. Employer review sites are also another outlet to leverage in your search for company culture insight.

    CC-Click-ToTweetBird-01.pngWays to learn about a potential employer’s company culture, even if it’s unstructured:

    An intern who is investing real effort to fit in demonstrates their long-term commitment and shows everyone that they have what it takes to succeed. Their efforts pay off in higher engagement levels, and eventually, opportunities for advancement within the company.

    Step 2: Make Mistakes with Grace

    It’s important that a new intern doesn’t worry too much about making mistakes. Even the CEO of a company occasionally makes mistakes, so it can be expected that a brand-new worker is going to make a few more. That’s what supervisors and coworkers are there for: to help interns when they slip up.

    When it comes to landing a job offer, making mistakes isn’t going to harm an intern’s chances. However, how they handle those mistakes could be a great opportunity to make a positive impact. Supervisors don’t want to hire someone who is constantly making excuses for their slip-ups and pushing the problems onto someone else. Instead, when a mistake is made, interns should acknowledge it with grace and make an honest commitment to do better in the future. Remember, research tells us that over 70% of learning on the job occurs informally. Mistakes are just that: on the job learning.

    CC-Click-ToTweetBird-01.png70% of learning on the job occurs informally. Why making mistakes on the job is okay:

    Step 3: Always Ask for More

    A great way to get a job offer out of an internship is to go the extra mile for any work that’s assigned and attempt to solve problems on their own before going for help. It helps to develop professional goals within the company and strive for a certain level of proficiency before the internship is over.

    CC-Click-ToTweetBird-01.pngThe smartest steps to take your internship to the career level:

    Interns shouldn’t be satisfied with just the work they’re assigned if they want to land a full-time position. Most workplaces value initiative, so someone who asks how they can help out after their own work is completed (and completed well) will come across as a valuable asset to the company. Interns must demonstrate why the company needs them, and how it would be worse off or less profitable if they weren’t there.

    Tip: Ask for work outside of your assigned department. This demonstrates a desire to know the company inside and out and indicates to supervisors that you’re in it for the long haul.

    Step 4: Be Social

    This step is simple: get to know people. In particular, an intern needs to build a strong relationship with a supervisor. While interns and supervisors don’t need to be best friends, there should be trust and understanding between them. The supervisor should also be one of the intern’s biggest cheerleaders: 74% of surveyed employees who hadn’t celebrated accomplishments with their co-workers said they are more likely to leave their jobs.

    Putting in the extra effort to be social and make friends shows that the internship isn’t just a stepping stone to something better, it shows that there’s real interest in making a career with the company. Even if an intern doesn’t manage to land the job offer, these connections become a part of their long-term professional network.

    Step 5: Ask for Feedback and Be Direct

    When working toward a full-time position, it’s important to find out where improvements can be made. If an intern settles into the position and is only producing the minimum amount of required work, they shouldn’t be surprised when the internship ends without any kind of offer.

    If trust has been built with the direct supervisor, they should be the one an intern goes to for input. Only 58% of managers think they give enough feedback, and they may just not know where to offer advice. Interns should ask what they could be doing better and what they excel at. The right amount of feedback gives an intern direction on what to improve upon to become a top performer for the company.

    Step 6: Ask for the Job

    Remember, employers actually want to hire interns. In fact, 80% of employers view recruiting as the primary function of internships. The easiest way for an intern to communicate they want the job is to just ask for it. By following the above steps, an intern can make it clear throughout their entire internship that they are interested in staying with the organization.

    Internships can be daunting, especially for someone who truly wants to turn it into a full-time position. Fortunately, following this advice is a good way to make starting a career a reality.

  • 4 Things College Grads Want in an Employer

    4 Things College Grads Want in an Employer

    By Sarah Pollock Blogger for ClearCompany

    We’ve heard all the stereotypes. Millennials don’t stick around in their positions for more than three years, Millennials are slackers and they hold a sense of entitlement. Despite all these common negative stereotypes, there are many common positive competencies and characteristics college grads are known for.

    One main theme is that Millennials are confident in what they stand for and how they want to use their skills to improve purpose-driven organizations.

    If you want to tap into the skills of new graduates, you will need to start thinking like the talent that’s walking across the stage this spring.

    On-Going Training

    Many HR professionals have been discussing the painful skills gap, but is it really as big of an issue as we’re making it? Not quite. Focus on soft skills in hiring and use your onboarding programs to develop new hires’ tactical techniques and hard skills. This gives new team members a catered and branded experience, introducing them to your company’s values, processes and expectations all while allowing you to provide necessary training.

    Don’t be afraid to get your existing team involved either. Training and onboarding new hires is still the first impression that can have lasting effects on your workforce. In fact, mentoring increases productivity by 88%. Match new hires with your top performing employees to act as their mentor for the first few months upon hiring. Mentors will familiarize new hires with specific responsibilities, expectations and expose them to the company culture.

    Create Flexibility

    Flexibility and work-life balance are increasingly being discussed in the HR/hiring space for good reason. 30% of employees report work-life balance as a leading contribution for their loyalty. Employees today want to be recognized for the actual work they accomplished, not the number of hours on their time card.

    Work-life balance can mean many things, but to 59% of Millennials, it means “flexible hours.” During the hiring and interviewing stages, ask what time schedule the candidate would prefer instead of assuming they’re ready to jump into a 9-5, five days a week arrangement.

    Also, discuss your work-from-home and vacation policies. Consider allowing employees who are meeting their goals to have flexibility – working from home, time to accommodate hobbies and more. [Some companies…] also have an informal office exchange program that allows a team member to swap offices with another employee or just go work out of another office location… perks like this go a long way in motivating younger top performers.

    Offer Career Planning

    53% of Millennial employees are looking for career pathing opportunities in their jobs. In larger organizations, mentors can assist executives with one-on-one career planning meetings. Then, leadership can work with a team of mentors to gain a sense of what their mentees are excelling in and what kind of development options should be provided.

    Career planning conversations are key to engaging and retaining your workforce, new or tenured.

    Inspire Purpose

    76% of Millennials consider a company’s social and environmental commitments when evaluating places to work. There are many ways to integrate Corporate Social Responsibility programs into your organization which will create an inspirational and giving workplace.

    Build culture and engagement by forming teams, tracking donations and volunteer hours and providing the winning team with gift cards or other small, yet desirable awards.

    Today’s graduating talent is interested in organizations who invest in their community and employees. In order to show that commitment, your company should create an onboarding program that shows interest in their success from day one and offer the real-time feedback and guidance they need to build an environment of inclusion and purpose.