The Right Wrapper for Feedback

This is a time when many companies are rethinking their performance management practices, in a way to enhance motivation and performance. A crucial aspect of the performance reviews is feedback. Delivered under the umbrella of performance review, this invariably achieves little, and often leaves both the manager and employee unsatisfied. It is not difficult to understand why - as it is often a defensive dialogue from both sides on hits and misses, with an eye on the resultant performance report (potentially impacting compensation).

While genuine feedback is cited as being a gift – the experience is more often not so. That is because it is often delivered with the wrong wrapper, and at the wrong time. In order for feedback to satisfy the criteria of a gift – it needs to be with an understanding of the employee’s personality, have a holistic view of the entire ecosystem, should be done at the right times, and importantly with a genuine interest in the employee’s growth & well-being. The performance review is the wrong wrapper for providing feedback – it gives a feeling of being critically judged, being a one-way communication, and ignoring the employee’s viewpoint and aspirations.

On the other hand, frequent and value adding feedback is more important than anything else. How then can this become a gift, which both sides would like it to be? In order for that to happen, significant re-orientation, facelift and re-launch is required.  “Progress & Improvement dialogues” should replace “Performance Feedback”. This needs to be an open and frank dialogue on the progress, limitations, ways to achieve planned objectives, ideas for improvement, long term plans and any other areas of interest. Many times what is really required is the need for deep introspection, expression and sharing, rather than stiff and predictable conversations based on data points. In summary, this needs to be a dialogue to explore how great things can be achieved together - "Let's do it!".

A frequent and non-evaluative dialogue is far more enriching for both parties and also the organization. It reinforces the fact that both sides benefit by listening to the other. This is one key aspect of a non-hierarchical management style, and open culture which is so much required today.