Managers: Reduce Stress by Increasing the Feedback

“Whatever is unresolved becomes a stressor”Managers add stress to their lives by postponing important conversations and letting them build up until their heads start to feel like a balloon waiting to burst. Or, we try to submerge those thoughts until we discover that they tend to pop out in strange and often harmful ways. How many times have we received–or given–a terse comment that really was the result of some long- unspoken feeling?Why Does Feedback Matter?Feedback started as a term used to describe the signals sent from a rocket back to earth in order to determine the accuracy of the rocket’s course. By tracking speed and trajectory, ground crews could determine when and where to make corrections.At some point in time, the term Feedback was incorporated into business language as a way to talk about performance. And, as in rocket flight, it has been determined that the best way for a person to stay “on course” is to assess where one stands at any given moment in relation to the task or goal at hand.Here’s the really important point: The chances of impacting performance increase with frequency and timeliness of feedback. That implies the need for ongoing “How are we doing?” conversations. It’s our best chance at knowing whether we’re on track or not.So, What Gets In The Way of Giving Feedback?1. Let’s face it: few of us enjoy hearing about those areas of work life where we’re coming up short. It’s human nature. The flip side is that managers are people, too, and they have the same thoughts and feelings. So it’s not exactly a peak experience being the proverbial “messenger” even though it comes with the job.2. The term “feedback” has morphed into “Here’s what you need to correct” instead of “Here’s how I think we’re doing.”3. Feedback has been institutionalized to the point where it is often done at yearly or semi-annual performance reviews. That’s usually too far away from the actual performance for a person to make the kind of changes that will alter an outcome. So, it become  a “Gotcha!”4. It takes a relationship built on trust to have meaningful conversations about performance.Trust comes from a series of interactions where people have made agreements, talked about how things were going, and then lived up to what they said they would do. And if something goes wrong, one person points that out to the other. They talk about what to do differently. And they learn that, even if something does go wrong, they care enough to bring it up and do something about it. I’ve said this before: The people you trust the most are the people who tell you the truth–good and bad. If it’s good, they offer encouragement. If it’s bad, they offer ways to work with you to sort things out.5. Lack of ongoing, natural conversation about work life gets in the way of building relationships that breed the level of trust we need to have ongoing, natural conversations. It’s circular.What Can You Do?1. Managers: Start the conversation from Day 1.Set the tone for the future early on by asking, “How are things going with project x?” What didn’t we anticipate? What’s going well? What isn’t going well, so we can find out how to get it on track? Then make sure that both of you do what you say you’ll do.2. Employees: If there isn’t a conversation, start one. Turn the questions in #1 into statements. For example, “Here’s how project x is going.” “Here’s what we didn’t anticipate.” Sure, maybe your boss doesn’t like bad news. Here’s a secret: Surprises are worse than bad news.If you start the conversation, you have a better chance of putting your boss at ease with the whole idea of “How are we doing?”3. Keep talking about having conversations, not feedback.Language conveys feeling. The whole notion of feedback has degenerated to the point where the word contains more negative connotations than positive. Why? Maybe because it was never meant to be associated with the human condition in the first place. From the time we’re kids we have conversations. We talk about “What’s going on” and “How are things going?”4. Start having ongoing “How are we doing?” conversations. Start now. 

I absolutely guarantee you that two people of goodwill can increase their combined performance and reduce their stress-inducing baggage by having regular, honest talks about their progress and the factors impacting it. These kinds of talks are the foundation of every good relationship, on and off the job.

Bonus Thought: The longer you wait, the larger the “negative” becomes and the more difficult it is to discuss. Regular, frequent conversations mean that the problem areas will be smaller and easier to talk about!
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Steve has designed and delivered leadership and communication programs for some of the world's largest organizations, and has more than 30 years in training, development, and high-level executive coaching. His Roesler Group has created and delivered leadership and talent development internationally for corporations such as Pfizer, Minerals Technologies, Johnson & Johnson, NordCarb Oy Ab, and Specialty Minerals--Europe. Steve is currently involved in the latest update of his Presenting With Impact program, a cross-cultural presentations workshop that has been delivered on five continents to more than 1,000 participants representing nearly 60 nationalities.

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Managers: Reduce Stress by Increasing the Feedback

“Whatever is unresolved becomes a stressor”

Managers add stress to their lives by postponing important conversations and letting them build up until their heads start to feel like a balloon waiting to burst. Or, we try to submerge those thoughts until we discover that they tend to pop out in strange and often harmful ways. How many times have we received–or given–a terse comment that really was the result of some long- unspoken feeling?

Why Does Feedback Matter?

Feedback started as a term used to describe the signals sent from a rocket back to earth in order to determine the accuracy of the rocket’s course. By tracking speed and trajectory, ground crews could determine when and where to make corrections.

At some point in time, the term Feedback was incorporated into business language as a way to talk about performance. And, as in rocket flight, it has been determined that the best way for a person to stay “on course” is to assess where one stands at any given moment in relation to the task or goal at hand.

Here’s the really important point: The chances of impacting performance increase with frequency and timeliness of feedback. That implies the need for ongoing “How are we doing?” conversations. It’s our best chance at knowing whether we’re on track or not.

Feedback Where's Mine_600x425

So, What Gets In The Way of Giving Feedback?

1. Let’s face it: few of us enjoy hearing about those areas of work life where we’re coming up short. It’s human nature. The flip side is that managers are people, too, and they have the same thoughts and feelings. So it’s not exactly a peak experience being the proverbial “messenger” even though it comes with the job.

2. The term “feedback” has morphed into “Here’s what you need to correct” instead of “Here’s how I think we’re doing.”

3. Feedback has been institutionalized to the point where it is often done at yearly or semi-annual performance reviews. That’s usually too far away from the actual performance for a person to make the kind of changes that will alter an outcome. So, it become  a “Gotcha!”

4. It takes a relationship built on trust to have meaningful conversations about performance.

Trust comes from a series of interactions where people have made agreements, talked about how things were going, and then lived up to what they said they would do. And if something goes wrong, one person points that out to the other. They talk about what to do differently. And they learn that, even if something does go wrong, they care enough to bring it up and do something about it. I’ve said this before: The people you trust the most are the people who tell you the truth–good and bad. If it’s good, they offer encouragement. If it’s bad, they offer ways to work with you to sort things out.

5. Lack of ongoing, natural conversation about work life gets in the way of building relationships that breed the level of trust we need to have ongoing, natural conversations. It’s circular.

What Can You Do?

1. Managers: Start the conversation from Day 1.

Set the tone for the future early on by asking, “How are things going with project x?” What didn’t we anticipate? What’s going well? What isn’t going well, so we can find out how to get it on track? Then make sure that both of you do what you say you’ll do.

2. Employees: If there isn’t a conversation, start one.

Turn the questions in #1 into statements. For example, “Here’s how project x is going.” “Here’s what we didn’t anticipate.” Sure, maybe your boss doesn’t like bad news. Here’s a secret: Surprises are worse than bad news.If you start the conversation, you have a better chance of putting your boss at ease with the whole idea of “How are we doing?”

3. Keep talking about having conversations, not feedback.

Language conveys feeling. The whole notion of feedback has degenerated to the point where the word contains more negative connotations than positive. Why? Maybe because it was never meant to be associated with the human condition in the first place. From the time we’re kids we have conversations. We talk about “What’s going on” and “How are things going?”

4. Start having ongoing “How are we doing?” conversations. Start now.



I absolutely guarantee you that two people of goodwill can increase their combined performance and reduce their stress-inducing baggage by having regular, honest talks about their progress and the factors impacting it. These kinds of talks are the foundation of every good relationship, on and off the job.

Bonus Thought: The longer you wait, the larger the “negative” becomes and the more difficult it is to discuss. Regular, frequent conversations mean that the problem areas will be smaller and easier to talk about!


Link to original post

Steve has designed and delivered leadership and communication programs for some of the world's largest organizations, and has more than 30 years in training, development, and high-level executive coaching. His Roesler Group has created and delivered leadership and talent development internationally for corporations such as Pfizer, Minerals Technologies, Johnson & Johnson, NordCarb Oy Ab, and Specialty Minerals--Europe. Steve is currently involved in the latest update of his Presenting With Impact program, a cross-cultural presentations workshop that has been delivered on five continents to more than 1,000 participants representing nearly 60 nationalities.

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