One of the most common causes of failures in communication is allowing our mouths to take action prior to our brain having its say. This happens most often in highly emotional interactions but can happen in any conversation if we are too casual...
Read moreFirst Step for Feedback: Notice
Providing feedback is an important part of leadership. Feedback aligns the actions and behaviors of team members with the vision for the organization. Team members long for feedback. Affirmation and appreciation are good but people welcome...
Read moreThree Steps of Effective Feedback
Providing feedback is one of the most important tools for developing followers and achieving desired results. Feedback communicates the actions or behaviors that we desire to see more of, less of, or the same in the future. So, with effective...
Read moreThe Character for Providing Effective Feedback
Effective leadership is built upon a combination of competency and character, with character the higher priority. Without strong, positive character traits, competencies can seem hollow to those that are called to follow. This is especially true...
Read moreFeedback Is Always Positive
Oh, don’t misunderstand the title of this article. Feedback is sometimes affirmational and sometimes corrective. Feedback identifies specific actions or behaviors and then asks (or directs) the recipient to provide either more of, less of, or the...
Read moreThe Context for Feedback
Imagine a situation where the only time that your boss said anything to you was when he/she pointed out what you had done wrong. How motivated would you be? Would you look forward to seeing your boss again soon? Would you value the feedback that...
Read moreThe Value of Feedback
Feedback, from an engineering perspective, is the process in which part of the output of a system is returned to its input in order to regulate its further output. In the workplace, the term ‘feedback’ is used to describe the helpful information...
Read moreSeparation Should Not Be Surprising
Firing with respect and compassion Call it what you may – dismissal, discharge, layoffs, workforce reduction – firing a team member is not an easy task. This is the reason that it is often not done well. People want to sidestep the issue...
Read moreSeeking and Accepting Feedback
Some years back I heard the story of a well-known minister and his response to feedback. After preaching, he would greet the members of the congregation as they exited. Of course, many of them simply offered a greeting of “Good morning” or...
Read moreFeedback and Character
How to Deal with Character Issues when Providing Performance Feedback One of the most important guidelines for providing effective feedback is to focus on behavior or action and the results or effects that follow. This guideline makes feedback...
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