A new supervisor and I discussed his staff’s response to his new management role.
“They are very satisfied”, he said. “Everything is going great.”
I asked, “How do you know?”
He answered, “I know because there has been no negative feedback, only positive.”
“You are in real trouble”, I told him. “You must create an environment that permits, invites, and values negative feedback.”
No matter how good you are as a supervisor, there is never a time when everything is good and positive. There are always problems, dysfunctional processes and burdensome rules. Even if you have only one person reporting to you, that person actually doing the work knows ways to improve productivity and morale that you have not and probably never will think about.
Positive feedback may make a supervisor feel good, but it is worthless. It just encourages you to continue what you are doing, maintain the status quo. There is nothing to encourage or motivate improvement.
If you really do want to improve the productivity and morale of your staff, create an environment where everyone knows you are open to negative feedback and suggestions for improvement. They will only know this if you tell them in no uncertain terms. You must understand that you will have to say this over and over again. They will only believe it when they see you actually practice what you preach. Only when you recognize those who speak out and tell you the truth, only when they see that nothing negative happens to those who tell you what you don’t want to hear, and only when they see you set a new direction based on their negative feedback will they believe you.
The Only Real Feedback Is Negative Feedback.
Only negative feedback provides opportunities and direction for improvement. From it you have usable material to set new paths and invent new and better processes.
Play it smart, seek negative feedback!
—Jimmy Collins
I agree. Years ago, when I helped with CFA operator’s manual, I read a new supervisor advice book that Coz suggested for all new CFA owners. I always use the model of giving negative feedback. Affirm what positive behavior you have witnessed first; reassure that you know the person wants and is willing to address problems; then tell the problem. Thanks, Jimmy, for all your wise advice on a blog or in person over many years!
Peggy, I appreciate the advice from Cos that you have recalled. Negative feedback is an important topic needing through examination. You and others have made me aware that when I wrote this post I did not cover giving negative feedback at all, only seeking negative feedback.
Receiving negative feedback helps us in many ways. First, to receive it, we must be prepared. We must turn off our personal ego sensitivity and decide that we will not be offended by anything we learn, but will examine it for potential personal development and improvement. That permits us to learn what we can do to improve our performance in whatever we do. What is being solicited is suggestions, ideas and advice.
Next, we learn what it feels like to receive negative feedback and that will guide us when it is our turn it to deliver it, to someone else, in the least painful and most productive way. Criticism delivered in anger or indignation or for any reason other than to help the person receiving it is not feedback. The experience of receiving negative feedback is a version of walking in the other person’s shoes.
Then, with those experiences, we should be prepared to both receive and deliver negative feedback in a productive manner without either party being offended. Negative feedback is most effective when it is given with a sincere desire to be helpful and in a gentle manner.
Will that always work? No. But, it works most of the time!
Jimmy
I believe positive feedback has value but I totally agree about the importance of negative feedback and any feedback that pushes you to do better, strive harder, achieve more.
These days you hear kids being praised endlessly for quite unpraiseworthy achievements at times and they are unfortunately going to pay the consequences as they age, or so I feel.
When I was young and even now, my parents always ensure I strive further and harder by always asking questions to make me believe I could do better and comments to focus on doing better and for that I am so incredibly grateful!
Sam, we are in agreement!
I am also an advocate for encouragement. However, in my personal experience, I don’t remember how any praise that I received, in my 78 years, ever motivated me to improve. And, I wanted to do my best and be a better me.
As you have expressed in your comment, it is what we remember and practice that counts. Thanks for your thoughtful comment.