Human First Feedback: What it is & How to Deliver it
A message I keep coming back to in my work with leaders and their teams is this: humans first, employees second.
It’s a message that’s forgotten quickly when people are viewed as ‘resources’ rather than human individuals. Unsurprisingly motivation and engagement in workplaces that do this are low.
As leaders it is important to consider how we influence how others may feel. How we deliver feedback is a great place to start. When thinking of colleagues as ‘human first’, there’s a lot we can utilise to help us as leaders ensure we’re providing feedback that supports the humans we work with.
The Challenge of Feedback
In my book, Leading Above the Line, I talk about how managers and leaders often inadvertently focus on the negative. This is a well-known process in the human brain called negativity bias - we notice negatives more than positives, and when there are no negatives, we struggle to find something to say.
In the workplace, this can lead to overlooking the positive skills and strengths people bring to the table. Even if they are noticed, they’re rarely acknowledged, leaving individuals lacking in the affirmative feedback that forms the foundation of thriving teams.
Even when employees are engaged in opportunities for growth and learning, leaders tend to give more critical feedback rather than promoting and guiding skill development; when positive feedback is offered, it’s usually articulating effort and outcomes.
When we only focus on effort and outcome, we don’t give employees much to go on when it comes to growing as a professional - and an individual.
The Power of Human First Feedback
Some leaders and managers resist giving positive feedback because they worry it will make individuals egotistical or cause them to become lazy, as they feel they’ve nothing to prove - but this is not the case.
Research shows that when employees know specifically how their skills and strengths are valued and how they positively contribute to the workplace, they’re more likely to demonstrate self-efficacy - a valuable psychological resource positively associated with performance.
When employees receive positive feedback about their skills and strengths, they’re more confident asking for help when needed, more willing to seek out and act on constructive criticism and speak up when something doesn’t feel right.
Learning to Deliver Human First Feedback
Here’s a little-known truth: having effective feedback conversations is hard.
They’re one of the most pivotal skills we need as leaders and managers to support optimal learning and development. However, whether in the boardroom or clinical supervision, we are rarely - if ever - taught how to facilitate them!
Because of this, people become fearful of providing feedback. We worry we’ll say the wrong thing and damage a collegial relationship or struggle to know what to say at all. But by dodging these conversations instead of embracing them, we’re doing each other a huge disservice in the workplace.
The good news is providing effective feedback and having feedback conversations is a skill that can be learned.
One of the barriers to human first feedback is that we’re not used to recognising positives, the skills and strengths in ourselves and others. When we train ourselves to look for the positives, offering feedback that amplifies the skills and strengths of others get easier - and the more we do it, the easier it gets.
A simple exercise I recommend is to list ten of your top skills and strengths. Then list ten weaknesses.
Which list was easier/took less time to write?
If listing weaknesses comes more naturally to you, there’s room to grow and learn how to flex that positive muscle so feedback to yourself and others becomes balanced. Keep repeating this exercise regularly and see if you can make listing the positives flow more readily.
I also find taking the time to consider and discuss feedback preferences at the start of a working relationship can really help to set up a positive experience for all involved. This can include how feedback is delivered and the format in which the conversations take place.
For example, in a more structured, deliberate meeting format or a more relaxed, conversational format over coffee - sometimes a mix is appropriate. Having these conversations can yield some great conversations and foundations for feedback conversations.
Ready to Deliver Feel Good Feedback?
Feedback won’t always only focus on positives. There will be times when we need to have conversations about a person’s performance or behaviour that might be challenging. Strengthening your feedback capabilities is a great way to prepare and empower you to provide balanced, human first feedback, no matter the situation.
In my Feedback Conversations Masterclass, I discuss the four critical elements to providing empowering and constructive feedback:
Manage ourselves well, so we are solid, not wobbly or fearful about giving feedback.
Build collegial relationships that can handle feedback well.
Develop a solid preparation process for providing feedback.
Explore a clear strategy for providing positively impactful feedback.
In this highly practical session, I’ll talk you through each of these four elements, enabling you to apply the learning immediately to your professional situations.
If you’re ready to strengthen your feel good feedback muscles and develop the skills that will see you utilising feedback as a valuable resource to develop thriving, confident and psychologically safe teams, this masterclass is for you.
Find out more and book your place in my next available online class here.