Providing effective feedback is a skill that most managers don’t initially possess and here’s why.
For some reason, it’s assumed when you buy a business or are promoted to manager, the skill of giving feedback just comes as part of the package. Unfortunately, it’s not usually the case.
Providing effective feedback is a skill that few just inherit; it has to be worked on and is usually learnt over time through trial and error.
Most managers tell me that dealing with staff is the toughest thing they do in their business. “My life would be so much easier if I didn’t have staff to worry about”. Well, I’m afraid you also wouldn’t have a business, because most business owners need their staff more than the staff need the owner! You can’t operate the business on your own. You need your staff and not just any anyone, but staff who turn up on time, are motivated, and want to be at work. This is a big ask according to many managers and particularly now with the job market being so tight.
Having a title, such as manager, doesn’t mean you can just tell people what to do and it all goes smoothly. People don’t appreciate being ordered around and told what they have done wrong. Yet, at the same time, feedback is critical to keeping staff on track; in fact, staff can need feedback on their performance on a daily basis.
We all learn from our own personal experiences and learning how to give feedback is much the same. We experience how feedback feels by receiving it ourselves during our early working life, and we either adopt the same method if it worked for us, or the opposite if it didn’t.
I hear lots of stories from friends and colleagues about horrible bosses, bosses who are arrogant, autocratic, and downright rude. They don’t have respect for their staff, and wonder why their staff are always leaving or only performing when the boss is around. We can’t afford to manage people like this; there are just too many other choices for staff, plus it simply doesn’t work anymore.
Providing effective feedback is a skill that is not generally taught in school so most managers just adopt a way that seems to work for them. My experience shows when feedback is provided effectively it is quick, concise, and achieves the desired result without upsetting anyone.
Roger Simpson – CEO, The Retail Solution and Author of “The Ultimate Retail Sales Experience” With over 35 years’ industry experience, Roger Simpson is recognized as Australia’s #1 Authority on customer ROI in the retail industry and as a global expert on staff coaching, customer service, and selling skills.
