by Kevin Dean, President & CEO, Tennessee Nonprofit Network
Have you ever received feedback from a boss that seemed out of nowhere? Had an employee make demands based on their own biases? Received an annual review that could have been a review for Skeletor or Michael Myers? If you’re surprised by the feedback you receive at work or surprised by the response to the feedback you are giving, there may be some work to do on creating productive feedback loops at work.
Traditional feedback mechanisms often fall short due to their infrequent nature, creating a gap between performance and evaluation that hinders timely improvement. I rarely received feedback from that supervisor, and I only received positive feedback from her superiors. What was I to think other than I was doing a good job? Moreover, the top-down nature of such feedback stifles open communication, fostering fear and discouraging honest self-assessment. As you can imagine, I didn’t push back when she said I wasn’t a good fit. A frequent focus on negatives further demotivates employees like it did to me, while vague criticism lacks actionable insights, leaving individuals unsure about how to improve. Subjectivity and personal biases can also lead to unfair evaluations and resentment, further damaging motivation and engagement. These shortcomings create a feedback culture that is often counterproductive, hindering growth and undermining relationships. When we transition to more frequent, two-way, strengths-based, specific, and objective feedback mechanisms, we can foster a culture of continuous improvement and unlock the full potential of their workforce.
The Pitfalls of Flawed Feedback
Flawed feedback, a common stumbling block in many organizations, is characterized by several detrimental traits that undermine its effectiveness:
- Personal Attacks: Feedback that centers on an individual’s personality, character, or inherent traits, rather than their specific actions or behaviors, can trigger defensiveness and resentment. When critiques feel like personal assaults, they impede learning and create barriers to constructive dialogue. I didn’t learn from that situation….I ran.
- Lack of Specificity: Without clear illustrations or concrete examples, feedback becomes an abstract concept, disconnected from real-world actions. This lack of specificity diminishes the recipient’s ability to connect the feedback to their own experiences and understand its implications.
- Unclear Application: Feedback that lacks context or scope can generate confusion about the specific situations or circumstances in which the observed behavior is problematic. When individuals are unsure about the range of application for feedback, it can hinder their ability to implement meaningful change.
- Ill-defined Impact: Feedback that fails to illuminate the consequences of a particular behavior or action leaves recipients in the dark about its significance. Without a clear understanding of the impact, individuals may struggle to recognize the urgency or importance of addressing the feedback.
These flawed feedback characteristics not only diminish the value of the communication but also breed a range of complications that can impede individual and organizational growth.
Complications Arising from Flawed Feedback
The repercussions of flawed feedback extend beyond surface-level misunderstandings. They can trigger a cascade of complications that hinder progress and erode trust within the nonprofit sector:
- Inference-Making Limitations: When feedback relies heavily on assumptions, interpretations, or generalizations, it becomes susceptible to misinterpretations and misaligned expectations. Individuals may draw inaccurate conclusions about the intent or meaning behind the feedback, leading to frustration and resentment.
- Attributional Biases: The human tendency to attribute behaviors to internal factors, such as personality or character flaws, rather than external factors like situational constraints or systemic challenges, can create an environment of unfair judgment. When feedback is rooted in attributional biases, it can perpetuate stereotypes and hinder growth.
- Overconfidence: Feedback givers may inadvertently overestimate their own judgment and objectivity, leading to a lack of receptiveness to alternative perspectives or interpretations. This overconfidence can prevent individuals from fully appreciating the nuances of a situation.
- Emotional Influence: The influence of strong emotions on both the giver and receiver of feedback can significantly impact the feedback process. Emotional states can cloud judgment, hinder rational thinking, and impede effective communication.
Shifting the Paradigm: From Flawed Feedback to High-Quality Advocacy
To transcend the limitations of flawed feedback and foster a culture of growth and continuous improvement, nonprofit managers must embrace a mindset of high-quality advocacy. This entails not only sharing conclusions or assessments but also providing the underlying rationale, evidence, and thought process that underpin them.
- Transparency: Open and honest communication lies at the heart of high-quality advocacy. It involves clearly articulating the basis for your feedback, sharing observations, concrete examples, and relevant data that inform your perspective. You empower individuals to understand your reasoning and connect the feedback to their own actions and behaviors by providing transparency.
- Context: Framing feedback within the specific circumstances and conditions under which the observed behavior occurred is essential. Recognizing the nuances of the situation helps individuals understand the relevance and applicability of the feedback, enabling them to make more informed decisions and adjustments moving forward.
- Impact: Highlighting the concrete and undesirable consequences of specific behaviors or actions underscores their importance and motivates individuals to take ownership of their growth. By connecting feedback to its real-world implications, recipients can grasp the significance of their actions and the potential impact on the team, organization, and mission.
The Power of High-Quality Inquiry
Effective feedback is not a one-way monologue but rather a dynamic, two-way dialogue. High-quality inquiry, rooted in curiosity and openness, invites recipients to actively participate in the feedback process, fostering understanding, collaboration, and mutual respect.
- Open-Ended Questions: Encourage individuals to reflect on their own behavior and share their thoughts, feelings, and concerns through the use of open-ended questions. These questions invite introspection and create a safe space for individuals to express their perspectives without fear of judgment.
- Disagreement and Concerns: Foster an environment where differing viewpoints, disagreements, and concerns can be expressed openly and constructively. By creating a platform for respectful dissent, managers can gain valuable insights and facilitate collaborative problem-solving.
- Data-Driven Resolution: When disagreements arise, utilize objective data and observations to guide the discussion towards resolution. By grounding conversations in evidence and facts, managers can facilitate a constructive dialogue that prioritizes objective truth and shared understanding.
Reflective Questions: The Foundation for Constructive Feedback
Before providing feedback, nonprofit managers can engage in a process of self-reflection to ensure their communication is clear and constructive. By asking themselves the following questions, managers can elevate the quality of their feedback and foster a culture of growth:
- How did I arrive at this conclusion? Critically examine your own thought process, biases, and assumptions that contributed to your assessment. Challenge yourself to identify the specific observations, examples, and data that underpin your perspective.
- What illustrations or examples would I need to share? Identify the most salient and impactful examples or illustrations that would resonate with the recipient and enable them to grasp the essence of your feedback. Consider the recipient’s learning style and preferences when selecting examples.
- Under what conditions did I observe this behavior? Reflect on the specific context in which the behavior occurred, considering any potential contributing factors or situational constraints. This helps avoid generalizations and ensures the feedback is rooted in reality.
- What are the specific undesirable consequences of this behavior? Clearly articulate the negative impact of the behavior on the individual, team, organization, or mission. This helps individuals understand the significance of their actions and the need for change.
- What is the most constructive way to help this person achieve better results? Frame feedback in a forward-looking and solution-oriented manner, offering specific suggestions, resources, or support that empowers individuals to take concrete steps toward improvement.
Conclusion
Feedback serves as a vital instrument for individual and organizational development. Managers who invest in high-quality advocacy and inquiry cultivate a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and mutual respect. Through transparent communication, contextual framing, and data-driven dialogue, feedback can be transformed into a powerful tool for empowerment and growth.
I hope this helps the next time you give feedback!