Watch the JMP Reunion keynote talk by Dr. Julia Kruse and download and view the attached slides from her presentation.
Feedback by the numbers
- 75% of employees believe that feedback is valuable. Feedback can be used to gauge how well they’re working and how they can improve productivity, performance, skills, etc. Plus, feedback also fosters a more open and communicative workplace.
- 68% of employees who receive accurate and consistent feedback feel fulfilled in their jobs. In turn, regular feedback also increases engagement levels.
- Employees are three times more engaged when they receive daily [regular] feedback from their managers vs. annual feedback.
If feedback is essential to employees’ engagement levels and fulfillment, why do we overlook its value? According to surveys published in Harvard Business Review, 44% of managers find giving developmental feedback stressful or difficult. How do we overcome that challenge?
Dr. Julia Kruse speaks to JMP staffDr. Julia Kruse speaks to JMP staffDr. Julia Kruse and feedback
During JMP Reunion, Dr. Julia Kruse, gave an inspiring lecture, Creating a Culture of Collaboration, that focused on four main aspects of creating a collaborative culture, including:
- Defining a collaborative culture and its characteristics.
- Discussing meeting styles and practical ways to engage teams.
- Addressed communication styles across different regions of the world.
- Outlining ways to provide consistent feedback.
In discussing feedback, Kruse highlighted the SIBA methodology of giving feedback:
- Situation: Describe the situation (when and where). Be specific.
- Behavior: Describe the observable behavior. Don’t make assumptions.
- Impact: Describe the results of the behavior.
- Action: Together, craft an alternative for the behavior.
The power of feedback resonated with me as this message has been consistently echoed throughout SAS and JMP. We encourage quarterly conversations during which managers should provide regular feedback regarding goals. HR Matters: Business and Development Goals for 2025 - JMP User Community. Additionally, at SAS and JMP, we have encouraged employees to provide feedback utilizing the STAR method:
- Situation and Task: Describe the situation and task to provide context.
- Action: Provide details of what the person said or did to handle the situation or task.
- Result: Determine the effect (See tips on giving and receiving feedback).
Regardless of the acronym, the commonality is that the person giving feedback should recapture the situation or circumstances, discuss the effects of the performance/behavior, and examine its impact.
Purpose of feedback
Though applicable when providing feedback between peers and colleagues, feedback is a powerful tool for managers. The purpose is to reinforce good performance and behavior or redirect poor performance and behavior. Therefore, it is important to use one of the methods above, either STAR or SIBA. If we state “good job” or “there’s room for improvement” but do not give specific examples of either, it defeats the purpose of the feedback. Ultimately, the recipient of the favorable feedback does not know which good performance or behavior to replicate. In contrast, the recipient of the poor performance or behavior does not know which specific performance or behavior to refrain from doing in the future.
Fear of constructive feedback?
At times, managers and peers have informed HR that they fear giving constructive feedback. However, it’s important to note that studies have shown that “57% of participants stated that they preferred constructive feedback over praise.” [source: Harvard study]
Personally, constructive feedback has been invaluable for me as a professional. With constructive feedback, I have been able to grow and develop in my career. If done correctly, it can be a gift to the recipient. Another benefit of constructive feedback is that it guards against complacency and groupthink. However, it is important to note that constructive feedback is best received when there is a culture in which constructive feedback is deemed to be a tool for growth as opposed to a mechanism for criticizing. (Watch this video of Simon Sinek sharing insight on giving critical feedback.)
Kruse: How to create a culture for feedback
Kruse provided a roadmap for our teams on how to create a collaborative culture that is more receptive to providing feedback. For individual contributors and leaders, Kruse suggests that we do the following:
- Lead by example.
- Build trust and psychological safety.
- Set clear goals and shared visions.
- Recognize and reward team efforts.
- Encourage diversity and inclusion.
- Provide opportunities for team bonding.
- Invest in collaborative training tools.
- Encourage open communication.
Kruse not only explained the key pillars of a collaborative team, but she also listed the important attributes of collaborative teams:
- Appreciate others.
- Be open and curious.
- Engage in conversations.
- Share knowledge.
- Learn from one another.
- Break up bottlenecks.
- Resolve conflict.
- Share resources.
- Help one another to complete jobs.
JMPers participate in a HSR activity led by Dr. KruseJMPers participate in a HSR activity led by Dr. KruseFurther, Kruse offered practical tools that we can use to foster those environments within our teams. One such tool was Heard, Seen, Respected (HSR), in which audience members partnered up, sharing a story about a time in which they were not heard, seen, or respected, while the other partner listened without trying to fix the issue. Kruse also led the audience through an activity called 1-2-4-All, which is an innovative way of generating ideas within teams. The goal is to establish a more collaborative culture, not only to spark innovation and creativity but also to provide a safe space for feedback. Once safe spaces for feedback have been established, employees are more likely to be engaged and fulfilled if the feedback is presented in the right way.
Tips on providing feedback
As Kruse stated, we should not wait for managers or peers to provide us with feedback; we should start requesting feedback. Thus, I predict that more of our peers, colleagues, and managers will start requesting feedback. When they do, we must do so in a manner that is meaningful and effective. Here are a few tips to remember when giving feedback:
- Set expectations: Managers and individual contributors should establish expectations in advance of any project or assignment with specific, measurable outcomes. Doing so sets the stage for providing feedback.
- Strive for a timely response: Provide feedback on or close to the time at which the action occurred.
- Stick to the facts: Focus on the behavior, not the person's character.
- Be direct: Provide clear and concise feedback. Avoid any filler conversation or anecdotes that may dilute the message.
- Control your emotions: Get your emotions in check before providing feedback. If you are angry, it’s probably not the best time to give constructive feedback.
- Listen to understand: Especially when providing constructive feedback, it should be a dialogue, not a monologue. Ask questions and refrain from making assumptions.
For additional resources and materials on feedback, please download the sources in this article or contact your JMP Human Resources Business Partner.
Sources: 17 Mind-Blowing Performance Management Statistics | ClearCompany 2022, 20 Essential Employee Feedback Statistics [2023]: Employees Want More Than Just Performance Reviews | Zippia, 50+ Employee Feedback Statistics to Make You Rethink Performance Reviews | Zavvy, 6 Reasons Managers Avoid Giving Feedback – And How to Overcome Them
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