I'm trying out the feedback model, but every time I use step 1 "can I give you some feedback", they always ask me "is it positive feedback or negative feedback?".
Submitted by Rob Hooft on Monday August 31st, 2009 1:10 pm
All feedback is positive feedback. Some of it is adjusting, some of it reinforcing.....
What do you answer? "you will find out if you say 'yes'?"
Apparently your DRs find your reaction funny, otherwise the joke would have ended by now.
Submitted by Gary Slinger on Monday August 31st, 2009 6:26 pm
"When you treat my serious enquiry as to whether or not now is a good time to convey feedback as a joke, I start to question your commitment to this role, and your understanding of our relationship as manager and staff. What can you do differently next time?"
Some days, I'm less subtle than others :)
G
Submitted by Mark Bamford on Monday August 31st, 2009 6:29 pm
Good answer RWWH.
You may also wish to consider that from the company’s point of view all feedback is positive. However, lets not kid ourselves. If on the receiving end, a lot of directs will regard adjusting feedback as negative and reinforcing feedback as positive. Changing the labels doesn’t really change effect of what is being said.
If you take the extreme example of a behaviour that may end up in a disciplinary meeting.
"Can I give you some feedback?"
"Is it positive or negative?"
"Positive"
"OK. I’d like to hear it, boss"
"You have to modify your behaviour or you’ll end up getting dismissed"
From the receiving end that sounds unreservedly negative.
I have to admit that I don’t ask my directs if they want feedback, I just give it to them. After some time of practising giving feedback everyone knows what to expect and accepts that it’s a way of helping the team work to the best of its abilities (as long as this is explained to everyone at the start of the process). However, if you are going to ask, I would agree that saying that all feedback is positive as it helps to move the team forward is a good response.
Also RWWH is spot on with regards to your directs responses. If I ask a direct "can I have a chat in my office?" I never get a "no thanks" in response. Everyone knows it’s a rhetorical question and cannot reasonably by replied to with a negative. The real question is why do your directs think it is acceptable to respond to your question in any way other than "yes, of course".
Submitted by Conner Galway on Thursday September 10th, 2009 3:54 pm
My experience has been to simply ask "Does it matter?" when asked whether the upcoming feedback is positive or negative. If the answer is no, then proceed as planned. If the answer is yes, then you have a more important discussion that may lead to coaching on the need to search for self improvement and eagerly collect constructive criticism.
All feedback is positive
All feedback is positive feedback. Some of it is adjusting, some of it reinforcing.....
What do you answer? "you will find out if you say 'yes'?"
Apparently your DRs find your reaction funny, otherwise the joke would have ended by now.
Response
"When you treat my serious enquiry as to whether or not now is a good time to convey feedback as a joke, I start to question your commitment to this role, and your understanding of our relationship as manager and staff. What can you do differently next time?"
Some days, I'm less subtle than others :)
G
positive feedback
Good answer RWWH.
You may also wish to consider that from the company’s point of view all feedback is positive. However, lets not kid ourselves. If on the receiving end, a lot of directs will regard adjusting feedback as negative and reinforcing feedback as positive. Changing the labels doesn’t really change effect of what is being said.
If you take the extreme example of a behaviour that may end up in a disciplinary meeting.
"Can I give you some feedback?"
"Is it positive or negative?"
"Positive"
"OK. I’d like to hear it, boss"
"You have to modify your behaviour or you’ll end up getting dismissed"
From the receiving end that sounds unreservedly negative.
I have to admit that I don’t ask my directs if they want feedback, I just give it to them. After some time of practising giving feedback everyone knows what to expect and accepts that it’s a way of helping the team work to the best of its abilities (as long as this is explained to everyone at the start of the process). However, if you are going to ask, I would agree that saying that all feedback is positive as it helps to move the team forward is a good response.
Also RWWH is spot on with regards to your directs responses. If I ask a direct "can I have a chat in my office?" I never get a "no thanks" in response. Everyone knows it’s a rhetorical question and cannot reasonably by replied to with a negative. The real question is why do your directs think it is acceptable to respond to your question in any way other than "yes, of course".
My experience has been to
My experience has been to simply ask "Does it matter?" when asked whether the upcoming feedback is positive or negative. If the answer is no, then proceed as planned. If the answer is yes, then you have a more important discussion that may lead to coaching on the need to search for self improvement and eagerly collect constructive criticism.