Transforming Team Feedback: 18 Strategies for Leadership Success and Team Growth

Have you ever wondered how to turn feedback into a powerful tool for team growth, sidestepping the dreaded performance reviews? Join me as I unravel the art of delivering impactful feedback, ensuring your leadership not only resonates but also cultivates a thriving team culture. This episode is stacked with 18 strategies designed to integrate feedback into daily interactions, balance the scales between positive and constructive criticism, and build a foundation of psychological safety that encourages open, honest dialogue. By asking the right questions and setting collaborative goals, you'll learn how to refine your feedback approach to not only boost team performance but also to reinforce a shared vision for success.

Meanwhile, the coaching playbook extends beyond mere feedback as we delve into personalized strategies for each team member, recognizing their unique styles and preferences. I'll guide you through simplifying your message without losing its essence, ensuring your feedback is genuine and well-prepared for a truly transformative two-way conversation. By the end of our journey together, you'll be equipped to foster continuous professional growth and potentially make those structured performance reviews a thing of the past. 

So, thank you for tuning in – and if you're hungry for more, our coaching services are just a click away for those keen to sharpen their leadership skills and revamp their HR toolkit.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:07

Welcome to the Entrepreneur to Employer Podcast. I am your host, brian Montez, founder of Scalosity Works and the Entrepreneur to Employer Coaching and Membership Community. So congratulations is in order. If you've built a successful freelance business that has grown to the point where you need to hire, you have achieved a huge milestone. If you're already past the point of making your first hire and your team is now growing well, congratulations is in order to you as well. So, regardless of where you are with scaling your team and your business, whether you're at employee number one or employee number 100, this podcast focuses on everything related to people operations. We'll cover best practices, strategies and solutions to help you build a sustainable and scalable business that is fueled by great people and a great culture. So if you're enjoying listening to this Entrepreneur to Employer podcast, please subscribe, give us a like and give us a review. Your feedback will help us grow this podcast and we'll be able to positively impact more employers to help them build better work environments. Well, welcome back to another episode of the Entrepreneur to Employer podcast. I am your host, brian Montez. So in today's episode, we are going to talk about effective ways to give feedback to your direct reports. If your goal and your mission this year is to eliminate performance reviews. In order for you to accomplish that, you're going to have to make sure you're doing regular one-to-ones and you're going to have to make sure that you provide feedback and coaching right, because feedback by itself may not be actionable. Your team members are going to need coaching to go with that. That's the context that you have to give them kind of the roadmap or the blueprint for how they take that feedback and actually be able to act upon it. So today we're going to get into 18 strategies for delivering effective feedback to your direct reports, and I do believe we can get this done in a short amount of time. Again, I always you know my goals always make these episodes no more than 15 to 20 minutes, but these 18 suggested formats are so good I want to cover them all in one podcast right now. So, without any further ado, let's get into it.

Speaker 1: 2:17

So, number one make your feedback timely and specific. It is critical for you as a leader that you are able and willing to provide that direct, direct feedback to your direct reports and make sure that it's timely and specific. In other words, it's got to be right around the time of the event occurring. If you wait a couple of weeks to provide that feedback, it may be lost. They may not remember what happened. They may not. The impact of that feedback is going to be a lot less because time has passed. So make sure that when you see something happen, you are very responsive and, you know, feel free to provide feedback and coaching almost in the moment, but the sooner you do it the better, and also be open to active listening and curiosity. You know, ask your team member how could you have done things differently in the future if a similar situation happens? Right, make it a conversation and a dialogue. Number two make it an everyday conversation. Right. Make feedback a part of doing business, not an event that occurs once a year or just at quote review time. You know you as a leader, if you can deliver candid, caring feedback that is specific and timely, you will create a culture where feedback becomes part of that everyday conversation. And as you start to do this, your direct reports are going to get comfortable in it and they will feel confident asking you for it because they know you're going to be candid and honest with them.

Speaker 1: 3:43

Number three focused on balanced feedback. In order for individuals to grow, balanced feedback is critical. Prepare and carve out time to deliver that feedback. Share the intent why are we having this conversation? Convey what you observed and the facts about the situation. Explain what the impact of doing or not doing something has on the situation or on their job or on their team, and make sure you mutually establish actions to address the feedback right. They should be establishing the actions and the next steps because by them establishing the actions and next steps, they are owning the process. And then, of course, make sure you listen for obstacles that may stand in the way of their success. Part of your job as a leader is to remove roadblocks and obstacles.

Speaker 1: 4:30

Number four couple feedback with psychological safety. The relationship between feedback and psychological safety is a very important connection. Cultivating leadership presence enhances that psychological safety in the workplace and empowers leaders to actively promote an environment where feedback flows effortlessly. Oh, that works Not rolling up the tongue very easily today. And psychological safety doesn't mean that you're guaranteeing that they will never lose their job or that they'll never be in trouble or that they'll never screw up. That is not what psychological safety means, because we can never guarantee anything in this world and we certainly, as employers, should never be guaranteeing that the job is 100% secure, but what it does mean to provide psychological safety is providing an environment where the employee feels safe to openly communicate with you, to be open, to be frank, to be candid, that they can speak their mind without fear of any type of retaliation.

Speaker 1: 5:34

Number five ask a question first. Look, we are all pressed for time, we are all very busy schedules, we're all juggling a lot, but if you can slow down a little bit and, instead of just jumping into the meeting and asking for feedback, start with a question. Start with tell me how you approach this or tell me how you feel about this project. Listen to the answer and then the next logical question will flow from there. This is gonna give you a broader perspective as not only their leader, but as their coach. Start with that question and get some perspective. Number six provide feedback with clarity and empathy. Look, at the end of the day, you have to figure out how are you gonna deliver this feedback with both clarity and empathy. It's your job to be candid, it's your job to be direct, it's your job to give them the information they need, but you also have to do it in such a way that you're respectful and you're empathetic throughout the process, because this is gonna serve as the catalyst for fostering growth and cultivating a culture of continuous improvement and, most importantly, trust. So by empowering individuals through constructive feedback, you're gonna nurture development. So if you're able to do your feedback, provide your feedback and coaching with clarity and empathy, your employees will absolutely appreciate that.

Speaker 1: 6:55

Number seven focus on the actions, not the person. I cannot stress this enough right Look for facts. When you give feedback and coaching, look for facts to present. Do not look for or do not provide insights such as I feel you did this or I think you did that. You need to approach the situation with facts, because what gets rewarded gets repeated, and that is something that my mentor taught me early on. And when people feel valued, they are receptive to feedback and they will usually act on it. So to do this, always keep the focus on the actions instead of on them. Your problem solving in that situation was good or bad, versus you did a good job or bad solving that problem in that situation. It's subtle, but that language change is gold. Let me say it one more time Focus on the actions instead of focusing on them. So the first example is your problem solving in that situation was good versus you did a good job solving that problem in that situation, all right.

Speaker 1: 8:01

Number eight Be concise, be compassionate and be curious. Deliver your feedback in a timely manner with evidence. Be open and listen to understand and appreciate all perspectives. Offer some ideas and set a mutual path forward with support and timelines. Again, this mutual path forward. You should see a theme in this recurring. In other words, when you are giving this coaching and this feedback and you set the expectations, the next steps, what are our action steps? What are we working towards? The employee needs to craft those. They need to own that. They need to write them. Let them articulate what the next steps are. Don't tell them what the next steps are. Let them articulate it, let them own it. This way it's there. They are the ones setting the expectations for moving forward. Do that and you will find that, more than not, they start to achieve those milestones because they own them.

Speaker 1: 8:56

Number nine keep it helpful. Feedback can be a gift. It is intended to be helpful and we are always most people, I believe are coming from a place of wanting to be helpful, having good intentions. At the end of the day, it's up to each individual to decide what to do with that feedback. Options include accepting it, discussing it, amending it or rejecting it. Those really are the only options that an employee is going to have. The most important thing is for both senior leaders and the direct reports to come to the table in the spirit of best intent. You cannot go wrong if you approach the. You cannot go wrong if you approach the conversation with the best of intentions and the desire to keep it helpful.

Speaker 1: 9:39

Number 10, start by sharing your vision for them. To paraphrase Maya Angelou, people remember how you made them feel, more than what you say or do. Start by sharing with your, with your direct reports, a vision that you see for them, with the company, the role they play and the impact they have. They've got to understand where they fit in and if they've forgotten, you have to remind them Right and, with those conversations, check in to see if they still feel aligned with the vision and then offer them feedback. And it helped them develop an action plan to bridge the gap between where they are now and where they want to be Right. If your employees are not bought into the vision and don't understand where they fit in or the impact they make to the company, they may be lost.

Speaker 1: 10:23

Number 11, find the sweet spot between care and candor. Again, all feedback can be a gift, but it's important to build trust in your relationship with direct reports so they can see feedback as a gift, and one way to do this is to find out that sweet spot for them between care and candor. Without candor, feedback won't be effectively received. They're going to reject it. Without demonstrated care, feedback will not land In either case. They're not going to hear what needs to be heard for their development. They're not going to receive the gift of feedback. They're not going to take the coaching and implement it. They're not going to develop an action plan, they will just reject it and it will fall on dead ears.

Speaker 1: 11:04

Number 12, set the intention of being collaborative and supportive. Always set the intention of being collaborative and supportive and again, I believe most people have it. That's their intention. I believe that they have the best heart when going forward. I don't believe anybody. Let me rephrase that. I don't believe most people set out to give their employees, their team members, feedback and coaching with bad intentions. I think everybody, for the most part, sets out with the intent of I truly wanna help this person Now. Feedback should never be a surprise. Providing timely and consistent information to assist your direct reports development is gonna strengthen not only your relationship with them but their ability to do their job, and it's gonna help foster trust. The more they know, the more they will grow. Also, be mindful of where you're giving that feedback. Coach in private, right. You don't want to coach in public, in front of everybody, and make them feel bad.

Speaker 1: 12:02

There's a time and a place in which to have these conversations, number 13,. Leave them feeling motivated Now. At the end of the day, our team members do need to be intrinsically driven, but as leaders, we do have the ability to create windows of motivation for our team. Our leadership can drive motivation or it can dry up motivation. Keep it simple. Keep the feedback simple, keep it clear and offer constructive suggestions for how to potentially tackle the problem. Also, make sure to be honest and be positive as much as you can. You want that person to leave the conversation feeling motivated and not crushed, not feeling like they can't come back from this. Right. They should come out of this meeting with an action plan, feeling like, okay, a little setback, but no big deal. I can handle this. I've got my path to move forward. So how you handle the conversation is either gonna motivate them or it's gonna demotivate them.

Speaker 1: 12:57

Number 14, ask about their preferred feedback style. This is so important when it comes to communicating effectively. Not everybody receives communication the same way, and it's gonna be important for you, as a leader, to adapt to your direct reports different leadership styles. So begin by inquiring about their preferred leadership style or the preferred feedback style. You should do that even before you give any type of feedback or coaching. So, whether you're offering constructive or positive feedback, take the time to understand how they like to be communicated with, how they like to receive their feedback, because by doing that, the chances that they're gonna listen and be engaged are much higher. Number 15, make the feedback genuine, sincere and constructive. Real professional growth happens when you provide sincere, constructive feedback. It's not just any feedback that gives you other valuable insights. It's the genuine kind of feedback genuine kind of feedback that is actually gonna grow them as a person. It's gonna allow them to embrace, learn from it and you are gonna watch their skills develop and you're gonna watch them transform as a team member.

Speaker 1: 14:08

Number 16, keep your leadership essence in mind. So this is where self-awareness really becomes important. Senior leaders and leaders at any stage need to actively mold how they are perceived by their team, by their peers and by their superiors. Each interaction is an opportunity to facilitate this. Leaders should crystallize their leadership essence into three words that encapsulate themselves, such as caring, innovative, intentional, right. Come up with your three words that are your value statements. What are the three values that you wanna be seen and known for and, more importantly, what are the three values that you want people to see and action from you? Keep these three words at the forefront of your mind every time you have a feedback and coaching session and work to ensure that these qualities are present at every interaction. Be very mindful of it and act accordingly.

Speaker 1: 15:00

Number 17, focus on behaviors and outcomes. My technique is the same formula that I've used that is used by hiring managers when asking behavioral interview questions. I believe it's really important to set the scene, describe the purpose, explain the behavior, which is IE, what they did, and share the results of the outcome. Because this was done, this was the outcome, or because this happened, this is the result. Give in-depth, performance-based feedback. Remember, keep it factual. No speculation, no assumptions. Keep it factual, keep it concise, keep it clear. And number 18, set the stage with a clear intent.

Speaker 1: 15:42

Preparation is key. You cannot go into these conversations not being prepared. You need to do your homework before you have this conversation. You need to know how you're going to address it, what you're gonna say and how you're gonna say it. Set the stage for both you as the leader and the direct report by preparing, and I guarantee you this will facilitate a much smoother conversation, especially if you believe that feedback is gonna be difficult to deliver.

Speaker 1: 16:09

I cannot tell you how many times I've had to give difficult feedback to a team member, things that easily could upset them, make them angry, have them just shut down and not listen. But by preparing my facts and my statements and my process and going into the conversation prepared, it eased the conversation, removed the tension I was feeling and it allowed me to be much more engaging in that conversation. So enter into the meeting with a clear intent, specific details and thoughtful words. Reassure your employee that support is available and make sure in the conversation you leave space for them to share their thoughts, their concerns, their questions, and that it's a two-way dialogue and not just a one-way lecture. So these are your 18 ways that you can deliver effective feedback to your direct reports. And again, being able to do this, it's something that you will get better with over time.

Speaker 1: 17:05

The more team members you have and the more you do this, the better you will become. Over time and, before you know it, it just becomes natural to you and all of a sudden you realize you're in a consistent feedback and coaching mindset, constantly developing, nurturing your team. And then what you realize is that, through your one-to-ones, your expectations are being met or you can quickly realign them. And before you know it, things like performance reviews are no longer necessary in your organization because expectations are managed day in and day out. And now your quarterly meetings aren't rearview mirror performance management meetings, but they are forward-looking performance enablement, performance enablement meetings where you are planning the next quarter of success.

Speaker 1: 17:49

So I hope you've enjoyed this podcast. If you have, I would greatly appreciate it. If you'd like and subscribe to the podcast, would also appreciate it If you leave a review. I do take every review very seriously and we utilize it to improve each podcast episode. And if you are looking for coaching specifically related to improving the performance of your leadership and your team around hiring, onboarding, training we are your team for that, so my email will be in the show notes and if you are interested in getting coaching on your HR foundations and your people operations, let's have a conversation. All right, hope you have a great week and we will talk to you next week on the Odger to Employer podcast.