From the Trenches: Lessons on FAST Feedback®
By Carolyn A. Martin, Ph.D.
"I will NOT tell someone he's doing a good job when he's just doing the job I'm paying him for! If an employee wants my praise, he'll have to go above and beyond." The fifty-something senior manager pounded the table to punctuate his position.
His stunned colleagues looked at each other in disbelief. They had just spent an energizing day learning FAST Feedback® skills, and were deciding which Frequent, Accurate, Specific and Timely best practices they would implement. Their discussion of "accurate" feedback--balancing thoughtful, positive comments with constructive suggestions for improvement--raised his ire. He was not convinced that "balance" was essential to making his feedback "accurate."
This manager's attitude didn't bode well for his company. By the company's own account, its managers had been systematically relying on six- and twelve-month reviews for performance evaluation, instead of engaging employees with day-to-day coaching-style feedback. As a result, high performers were not getting the regular praise and support they deserved. Performance problems were going unaddressed for days, weeks, even months. And most managers were not in the habit of holding employees accountable for concrete performance goals.
Except for the table pounder, most participants that day began to understand that FAST Feedback® could help them and other managers improve their skills for coaching employees on day-to-day performance. A sixty-something confided, "I always give my people positive feedback when they deserve it, and I'll continue to do that. I need to use FAST Feedback® to get better at holding people accountable when they don't perform." Two forty-somethings started to strategize about teaching FAST Feedback® to their respective teams; they wanted everyone to learn the same language, so they could implement best practices more easily. A Gen-X HR manager became the company's FAST Feedback® "point man." He agreed to follow up with departments to monitor implementation and coach managers on their feedback skills.
These change leaders will undoubtedly move this business from "sink-or-swim" to coaching-style management, and create a more productive, energized workplace in the process, with or without their colleague, the table pounder.
Our new FAST Feedback® training materials will help you:
* Learn the key skills and behaviors to deliver your feedback F-A-S-T
* Keep everyone on track, in the loop, and focused on results every day
* Practice delivering feedback in everyday situations that challenge managers and staffers
* Identify dozens of best practices to build FAST Feedback® into your day-to-day communication with direct reports and coworkers
For a free preview of our training materials, call us or visit our website.
|
Winning the Talent Wars® |
93rd Edition - December 11, 2002 COPYRIGHT, RainmakerThinking, Inc.® http://www.rainmakerthinking.com |
|
Susan Ciemniewski, Managing Editor
E-mail: susanc@rainmakerthinking.com Ph: 203.772.2002 x100 |
Subscribe to the newsletter
Back issues of the newsletter Download PDF version |
Our keynote speakers
Our training programs |