Step 2: Offer Your Perspective
Help your employees reflect on their own reputations, on the feedback they’ve gotten from others, and on the areas they need to develop. And give them honest feedback regularly.
GO TO Truth
Think back to the last performance review you gave. It probably was based on past performance and connected to that employee’s raise. Development feedback is different. It is future oriented and focuses on areas where the employee can improve.
Employees want specific feedback with examples of their performance and the effect on their future goals. Have them seek out colleagues at all levels who will give them a more realistic self-portrait to help them develop faster and smarter. And remember—development feedback includes good news as well as corrective input!
To Do
Include these questions in your conversation:
What is the most helpful feedback you have received? How did it change your behavior? How did you apply that to your work?
In which areas do you wish I would give you more feedback? How can I help you feel more accomplished and successful at work?
Which of your team skills are most valued by your colleagues? How do you know? Based on their feedback, which skills do you hope to improve?
Think about all the awkward conversations you’ve had with employees whose career goals are simply out of sync with reality given their strengths and weaknesses. Our hunch is that the absence of honest feedback kept them out of sync. Employees continually tell us that they want straight talk. Want to keep them? Level with them.