feedback
3 Things to Assess Before You Back Down
Leaders who take on huge challenges and win are lauded. But recognising when a challenge is too daunting or risky is equally heroic. Here are three ways to evaluate whether you should step up or back down: Assess the odds. You need to know what you are up against and be realistic about your chances of .. read more
Jul
3 Ways to Externalise Your Focus
Companies that are too inwardly focused often miss important happenings and opportunities in the market. Use these three ways to get your company to look outward for customer insights, competitor moves, and market changes: Listen to customer-facing employees. Frontline employees are your ear to the pavement. Value them, ask them what they hear from customers, .. read more
Jul
Ask for Immediate Feedback
Much of the feedback we get at annual, semi-annual, or even quarterly reviews can feel stale and outdated. Feedback is most useful when it is frequent, fair, and quickly follows the task or occasion you’re curious about. Twitter’s format – immediate, short, and to-the-point – is one way to give on-the-spot feedback. After a presentation, .. read more
Jul
3 Ways to Quietly Promote Change
A leader who pushes a change agenda too hard risks building resistance and resentment, or even alienating his people. Here are three ways you can challenge the prevailing wisdom and make change happen quietly: Model the change. Demonstrate the way you want things to change through your own language and behaviour. Often, seeing a leader do .. read more
3 Ways to Improve Performance Reviews
The usefulness of performance reviews is open to debate. Some people think they are one-sided, ungrounded, and too sugar-coated. Others believe they are an invaluable tool in employee development. Here are three ways to make your reviews more of the latter and less of the former: Reduce subjectivity. Try to incorporate several viewpoints. Ask peers, direct .. read more
Jun
3 Ways to Keep Good Employees in a Bad Economy
High performers are in high demand these days; all companies want to keep their best people while facing the intimidating task of recovery. Here are three ways to retain your competent and committed people no matter what the economy is doing: Create a thriving environment: High performers want to be in a high-performance culture. Give .. read more
Jun
3 Tips for Giving Better Feedback
Feedback is essential to our development as professionals. So why is it so painful to give and receive? Here are three tips to help you give constructive feedback that works, not hurts: Focus on business outcomes. Explain what the company needs — talent development, sales growth, improved service — and frame your feedback as a .. read more
Praise as Much as You Criticize
Human performance is inconsistent—even world-class athletes have off days. Yet, most managers focus on their employees’ shortcomings when coaching and providing feedback. Sure we all have “opportunities for improvement,” but research shows that identifying and building strengths produces better results than focusing on faults. Next time you’re evaluating someone, remember that your goal is to .. read more
Apr
Take the Stress Out of Giving a Performance Review
Which is worse: receiving a performance review, or giving one? At least with the latter you have some control. When you’re the one conducting the review, try doing these three things to make it a productive experience. Set expectations early. Make employee-evaluation practices clear at the beginning of the year with individual performance planning sessions. .. read more
4 Steps to Delivering Helpful Feedback
Feedback is problematic. Managers often dislike giving it and direct reports rarely get enough to change their behaviours. But feedback, both positive and negative, is an important tool for learning and career growth. Next time you have to talk with someone about their performance, follow these four steps: Be specific. Feedback needs to be actionable. .. read more
Mar
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