Blindsided by Anonymous Feedback
One client told me, “At the end of every one-to-one check in, I ask my staff what feedback they have for me and everyone always says that they don’t have any. They all say things are great. Yet when the employee surveys came back, a percentage of the team ranked me low in terms of leadership”.
This is not an uncommon issue that I hear from directors and managers.
Staff rarely volunteers any feedback, unless it is given anonymously.
The challenge with anonymous feedback is that it catches you by surprise, it is difficult to take action upon, and it makes you wonder what else may be troubling your team that you don’t know about. Not to mention, it makes you look bad to your own leadership.
Here Are 4 Steps to Take
If you are hearing radio silence when you ask for feedback from your team, here’s a few simple steps you can take now:
Be specific. Don’t ask for general feedback like, “Anything you’d like to give me feedback on?”
Instead say, “I’d like to get your feedback on how I could have been more effective supporting you on that last project.” “I’d like your feedback on how I can be better at delegating tasks.Give people time to think about the feedback so they are prepared to be thoughtful.
“I want to get some feedback from you on team meetings. What you think is going well and what I can do to improve them. Let’s meet on Thursday so I can hear your thoughts”.Be certain that you are not getting defensive, placing blame or in any way punishing the person delivering the feedback. Feedback is an opportunity to listen, affirm what you heard, and ask curious questions. Then take what you’ve heard and discern what you want to take action on.
Make sure your staff understands what feedback truly is and how to deliver it well. Most of us hear a great deal about feedback but never receive any formal training on how to engage with feedback effectively.
If your staff is not volunteering feedback, don’t assume that means they don’t have any.
Create a safe space. Be specific, give time to prepare, be open, and then discern what fits.
What are you learning by applying these steps? I’d love to hear from you.
Beth
P.S. If your staff is lacking expertise in giving feedback, they can start learning right now by following the 4-step process in my latest book, Mastering Feedback - Everything You’ve Never Been Told About How To Give Feedback which is available on our website: https://NCDsolution.com/mastering