How to Give Feedback That Employees Will Remember for Decades
Have you ever received feedback that stuck with you for years, even decades?
I have. And it wasn't until I became a manager myself that I realized just how powerful that feedback was.
It was an old-fashioned paper memo from my SVP. She sent just three sentences to recognize that I had signed Delta Air Lines.
The second sentence was pure magic: “Even your announcement showed tremendous finesse.”
I still have this piece of paper today (see photo!).
Why?
Because it still makes me smile.
Because early in my career a senior leader acknowledged my accomplishment.
But mostly because the SVP labeled it larger than I did. I thought I had a nice win. I closed the deal.
She made it about FINESSE.
Later, when I moved from Sales to Learning & Organizational Development, I consistently observed a disparity between manager and employee perception of feedback. Managers frequently say they routinely praise their employees, while employees report that the only feedback they receive is negative.
Turns out both are right.
Managers do attempt to recognize good performance, but it's usually so generic that their employees don't experience it as praise.
What can close the gap?
Much has been written about improving the effectiveness of feedback by being more specific and personal. To take it a step further, go BIG. Reframe the behavior to be even more significant than how the employee views it.
Going bigger ensures that the employee recognizes your feedback as praise. It is memorable because it’s meaningful, it inspires the employee to think differently about their performance, and it just simply feels good.
Next time you take the time to share feedback with an employee, be specific, make it personal, and GO BIG! Who knows? Maybe yours will be the feedback your employee carries with them for decades.
All it takes is a little finesse.
Melissa Janis builds management capabilities to create a workplace that's better for your employees and better for your bottom line.