Category: Professional & Management

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Introduction to Management – Giving Feedback

But What Do I Actually Say?
Giving Effective Feedback
management training course london

At work, people are supposed to be busy – setting some effective goals should help to ensure that! So, your staff members are getting on with their jobs – do you think they would like to know how they are getting on? How about providing some feedback? New managers often struggle here – it’s tricky to give the feedback, whilst keeping emotions out. The EECCC model (often referred to as E squared C cubed) will help:

E is for Example

If you’re looking to say the right words in the right way, then start by giving them a specific, factual, evidence-based example of the behaviour under discussion. Remember to separate fact from opinion – talk to them about what they have said or done, not what you think of them because of it! You should be saying ‘I’d like to discuss your timekeeping, as I noticed you came in 10 minutes late this morning’, as opposed to ‘your timekeeping is atrocious’, which is not just an opinion, but also provocative and insulting!

E is for Effect

Having delivered the example of the behaviour, you may encounter ‘so what’ syndrome – ok, so I was 10 minutes late? Who died? If it means that much to you, I’ll stay an extra 10 minutes tonight. It’s not a big deal! It’s great that they’re offering to make up the time, but their behaviour is a concern because you can see the effect it’s having on the team and it needs to stop. Explain this to the employee – because they were late, we nearly missed a deadline. You needed some vital information from them, and they weren’t there. Other team members had to cover for them and they weren’t happy. In addition, other team members have begun to copy their behaviour. This really needs to stop!

C is for Check

The above techniques should help you to gain agreement that they need to get their behaviour back on track, but it’s always good to check that they’re ok with the feedback: ‘So, can you see why I felt the need to discuss this with you?’ They may indulge in a spot of deflection strategy – ‘Ok, so I was late, but other team members do it too! What are you going to do about that?’ Reassure them that the other staff will be spoken to , but this conversation is about them, so let’s get back on track!

C is for Change or Correct

Now we have agreement, ask them what they will do to change or correct the behaviour: ‘I need to know that as of tomorrow morning, you will be at work on time. What will you do to make sure that happens?’ It’s important to get their input here, as they are more likely to buy into their own ideas. If they are really stuck, you could offer some suggestions.

C is for Consequences

You can reinforce your message by reminding them that, if the behaviour does not improve, there may well be consequences: ‘I really need to see improvement here, because if not, I may have to consult HR regarding disciplinary measures. You need to be aware of that.’

 

Conclusion

When discussing key principles of giving feedback, people often ask ‘that’s great, but what do I actually say?’ The EECCC model provides a framework for sentence construction. Give a specific, factual example of the behaviour and the effect you can see that it’s having on the team. Check with them for understanding and agreement, and ask what they will do to change or correct the behaviour. If necessary, remind them of the potential consequences of not correcting it. Now, go and give some feedback!

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Business management made simple.

business management course

As a business leader there are so many intricate tangents and sideshows that can divert your attention from the art of managing your business. Make no mistake the details are important they are the finesse to the standards you have carefully shaped and polished to assemble your brand into its best light. Yet sometimes we can get lost in the menagerie of too much detail and become entangled in our own designs.

Take a helicopter view. Stand above the business and see the whole picture. The initial order, the time frame to delivery. How long does the whole process take? What are the percentages of returns, refunds, missed orders and lost deliveries to the rate of success? Review client response and comments. The next stage once you are confident that enquiries are optimised by orders, take a look at the length of service time. Is it what you and your customers expect?

Expectation management relies on the flow of information from what the customer anticipates to what they actually receive. Do you have a robust line of communication that encourages the customer to review their experience and give accurate feedback?

Move forward from this and look at the public domain. Are you doing what you say you do when you said you would do it? As the order comes in from the outside how precise is the service back to the consumer? What’s the X factor that makes it a great experience? Do others in your industry do it better, faster, with greater care and accuracy? What could you do to balance consistency with satisfaction, and how might you move to the glorious position of exceeding expectations?

They ask how’s your staff development doing, is retention an issue and do you really have the best inside your compound? The figures won’t lie. Consider the number of enquiries to the number of orders. Do you know the percentage of completions? What is acceptable to you? Can this one area be focused on and improved? Now you are at the finish line. It’s all in the training can be a great way to raise productivity, efficiency and profitability. It can also be a massive boost to morale, skillsets and motivation.

There is nothing more stimulating in business to see hard-line investment into the staff that you rely on, start to meet their obligations consistently and then begin to exceed them. As you invest in their skills watch the new possibilities open up. But here is the secret key, be the incentive, show you want the best for them, that you are truly one team and that the business is a combined effort. A gallup report done in the USA showed that only 1 in 3 employees are engaged with their position.

That’s a lot of people being paid who are simply not interested in giving their best. That’s just wasting life. The difference that can change this is when an employer does take note and engages sincerely with his team – constantly. The boss who enjoys my successes and supports me through the disappointments is the boss who encourages me to excel. Imagine the difference. When all the facts and figures are jostled and dissected, it’s the simplest of actions that cost so little and yet reap the greatest rewards.