Hi,
Could I please get some advice on how to give two different sets of feedback concerning a related item? Should I give the feedback at different times of day, or both toghether, or just not give one of the items?
This feedback would be either 1 confirming and 1 adjusting, or 2 adjusting. I am worried that 2 items of feedback will dilute the message and that behaviour will not change in the future.
An example follows:
I asked a direct to finish something for me and email a summary before end of day. This direct left earlier than myself and we didn't get a chance to discuss the item. I found an email in my inbox with the summary. The email was long, missed a few keypoints, and rambled into areas we didn't care about. I barely even read it.
The behaviour I would like to correct:
- Do not leave without giving me a chance to discuss 'before end of day' items.
- Content of email.
Note: This is about as 'bad' as it gets with my colleagues. I am blessed to work with a very talented team.
Be careful
You asked for the email. You can't give them feedback for leaving when you didn't ask them to stay. Say nothing about t his.
You can change your behavior in the future; just make sure to ask next time that they brief you before 5pm. (Don't use EOD; specify a time).
Positive feedback for getting you the email on time would be appropriate. Quick, off the cuff, as soon as possible.
As for the email content itself, you could consider feedback during an O3...but there are several problems with it, so you either want to work on just one item (BLUF, for example) or you could do some coaching. "Your writing skills can be better, so let's spend some time on that..."
John Hack
Jhack, thank you for the
Jhack, thank you for the advice on changing my behaviour. I already considered such and will do so in the future.
Is your 'general' advice to only give one item of feedback?
The example was only an example. Feel free to substitute with 'Write me a summary and let's discuss before end of day', and instead I received an email if it helps.
Short and simple
Keep the feedback short and simple. One thing at a time. The vast majority of feedback should be positive.
Remember the "course correction" analogy. If it's one thing ("...when I have to read three paragraphs to find the summary...") then it can be feedback. If there is a general issue with the ability to write clearly (no BLUF, missing points, poor grammar, rambled, etc) then you have to choose just one of those to work on at a time, or choose to do coaching about good business prose. There is a gray area between a series of related adjusting feedbacks and a coaching program. One nice aspect of coaching: you can use lots of positive feedback as they adopt the new skills.
John Hack
Give Two Separate Pieces of Feedback
In general, when you need to give 2 pieces of feedback, you should give 2 separate pieces of feedback.
Here's how it sounds:
"Can I give you some feedback?"
If they say "yes", continue with the model. After it is finished, you say:
"Can I give you some more feedback?"
If they say "yes", continue with the model.
Repeat as necessary.
Be wary about the sandwich- if you always give 2 pieces of feedback, one positive, one adjusting, then the next time you give them positive feedback, they're just going to wait for the shoe to drop. This isn't to say that you cannot do this, just make sure that it doesn't become a pattern.
--Rich
All good above...
... And I dunno. I think the dude's leaving early is not a big deal, and totally unrelated to the email. If that was a standard, you haven't made clear to me that he would have known that. And if he's part of this good group, in the big scheme of things, he leaves a little early... no worries.
On the email, I'd probably say thanks for getting it to me, and look for another mail that shares similar issues with this first one. Writing is a funny thing - I'm amazed at the diversity of styles and lengths that people think are appropriate. Yeah, he missed stuff...if it's a problem, he'll do it again.
And I sure as heck wouldn't give feedback to someone about an email I barely even read. Thus, more time might be a good thing here.
And, I could be completely wrong, but my gut is telling me that you think he blew off the mail with a low quality response, and that's what you're after. But that's not behavior you're angry at. But what do I know? I wasn't there. Stay frosty.
The example was only an
The example was only an example for the real question, which was how to give multiple sets of feedback. I apologize for not being clearer about what my question was.
I think I've settled on limiting feedback to one issue at a time to avoid diluting the message.
PS:
I ended up giving affirming feedback about sending the email on time. I later reviewed the email in depth, and we then discussed the email, what was wrong with it, and email writing in a more general sense and decided to work on his email writing skills. 'Email writing skills' was never something he had considered before.
He has since rewritten the email. The result was a clear email that satisfied the original task.
Don't Overthink It
Rich's comments above nail it. If you want to give FB more than once in one sitting, just do it. Ask the question twice. I have done this several times and it is not weird at all. I just ask "can I give you some more feedback" and it starts again.
I have done this as drive bys after a meeting and in O3s. It can work either way. If your FB stays brief, it is easy to do 2.
Finally, I do not think I have done a corrective and affirming together, but as long as it is not a sandwich effort, it would be fine. Especially if it is related and not contradictory. For instance giving affirming for sending a quick e-mail response probably should not be followed up with a corrective for not providing a thoroughly thought out e-mail response. However, giving corrective for missing a deadline, but affirming for being proactive about the communication of the miss would be fine.
my. 02
-Mike