Feedback is necessary for all of us to grow and thrive. We receive feedback from others and our environment, but not always the specific feedback that we need. Intentional conversations provide the best form of feedback. Many organizations are beginning to see the benefit from regular, intentional conversations to give employees a consistent gauge of their performance. These conversations are referred to as continuous feedback, a process where employees receive information needed to make adjustments through a series of structured conversations.
There are many reasons to implement a continuous feedback model in your organization. Continuous feedback is a crucial element in addressing employee engagement – one of the biggest challenges facing companies today – by making sure employees feel heard and recognized for their contributions. It is also an opportunity for employees to course correct as needed. Feedback drives employee growth and provides real-time insights. And when intentional conversations are facilitated skillfully, it improves performance as well as strengthening the leader/employee relationship. If you are considering implementing a continuous feedback process, consider following the four-step model developed by renowned management consultant Dr. Edwards Deming.
Step One: Plan
All intentional conversations are planned conversations and are designed to influence thinking and gain understanding. Intentional feedback conversations are more than a simple exchange of information. They require preparation and are aimed at producing a specific result. To adequately prepare, past and present performance metrics are critical elements to utilize. Leaders must first explore this information, define the feedback and prepare a skillful approach to facilitating the conversation.
Other considerations in the planning process include the length and frequency of the feedback conversations. These are typically called “check-ins” and should occur at least quarterly. Some organizations have weekly check-ins. In this case the feedback may be more informal, but should still be intentional. Check-ins can occur in person or virtually and should include some kind of documentation for tracking and integration into the overall performance management process.
Step Two: Do
With all of the demands on our time, fulfilling the plan can be the biggest shortfall. According to a study by Forbes, nearly 75% of employees consider feedback important but less than one-third receive it. Leaders have been using the annual performance review since 1940 with no significant adaptations. Despite the fact that most companies feel their annual review process alone fails to provide needed feedback, providing more intentional feedback can be a challenge. Stunningly, according to Mercer, only 2% of companies worldwide believe their performance management process delivers high value and only 2% believe they have excellent feedback practices.
Including continuous feedback along with an annual performance review is a best practice today. Deming recommends kicking off a continuous feedback process with a small pilot program. This will allow you to assess whether the new process has achieved the desired outcome before implementing it across the organization.
Step Three: Check
At this stage, Deming calls for an analysis of the results of the pilot program against stated expectations. If the expectations are in line with the results, then it’s time to implement the plan. Move to the final phase of implementation only when you are completely satisfied with the results. Results should include not only the cadence of the process but also a check for quality intentional conversations. This can be measured with surveys and post-conversation debriefs.
Step Four: Act
In this stage, the continuous feedback process is implemented for all employees and leaders. Remember this is a continuous process, a loop, and not a linear process with a beginning and an end. This means the improved process now becomes a stepping stone to keep improving the process for your employees at equal intervals. This is also a time to ensure buy-in to the process. Leaders must receive feedback from their leaders and become increasingly comfortable with open dialogue. Furthermore, they must recognize when performance metrics do not tell the whole story. It’s not just what we do, but how we do it that matters. Behavioral feedback based on demonstration of required competencies deserves to be at least half of the conversation.
Intentional feedback conversations are an excellent way to increase employee engagement. They help to establish clear company culture and values. They create a culture where every person has the opportunity to be heard, increase trust, resolve conflicts and make employees feel like they are part of something bigger. All of this is accomplished while increasing productivity and opening up lines of communication.
If you haven’t already, take your first step to implement continuous feedback today. At VisionCor, our leadership consultants provide you the knowledge and expertise to jumpstart continuous feedback in your organization. Ensuring leaders are equipped to provide needed feedback is a critical step towards meeting organizational goals. Let us partner with you to provide training that ensures open, honest dialogue at all levels of the organization that improves work quality, productivity level, engagement and overall work satisfaction.
