Feedback improves performance April 2007, Alex Righolt.

Feedback improves performance

April 2007,Alex Righolt

Definition of feedback in communication

The process whereby a person can disagree, ask a question, repeat information for understanding, or otherwise talk back in the communication process.

Observation

The feedback skills of many employees at A&A Computers need improving.

Feedback to:To their colleagues;To their supervisor;To clients.

Possible reasons for poor feedback skills

• It is thought to be impolite to question a parent, teacher or other superior when receiving instructions. Whatever they say is supposedly “correct, complete and perfect”.

• Fear of being looked down upon, or criticized.• Poor communication skills.

Do you agree with these reasons?

Without feedback…

… without feedback, there is no room for correction:

When a task is first explained;During the execution of the task;When a task is finished.

Without feedback…

… without feedback: Tasks are not fully understood, and the result is

not as intended; There are no corrections possible while the job is

being done; It is not clear to the supervisor if a task was

completed; You loose an opportunity for learning new skills!!

With feedback…

Feedback is being used to:

Understand the instructions better; Improve the execution of the task;Report that the task has been completed;Give a recommendation to the

supervisor.

Example of effective feedback

The following is an example of effective feedback. It shows how a task starts better, and then is better performed because of feedback.

It also demonstrates that a final report is an important piece of feedback.

Example of effective feedback

Instruction: “Make sure that all items have price stickers” Feedback: “Also those in the store?” Instruction: “Yes”

Example of effective feedback

Instruction: “Make sure that all items have price stickers” Feedback: “Also those in the store?” Instruction: “Yes”

Two hours later… Feedback: “I’ve put stickers on most items, but what shall

we do with items in boxes?” Instruction: “Those should also have stickers”

Example of effective feedback

Instruction: “Make sure that all items have price stickers” Feedback: “Also those in the store?” Instruction: “Yes”

Two hours later… Feedback: “I’ve put stickers on most items, but what shall

we do with items in boxes?” Instruction: “Those should also have stickers”

One hour later… Feedback: “I have finished putting on price stickers. The

stickers are almost finished, we need to buy more.”

Analysis of effective feedback

We’ll now analyze why the feedback was effective…

Analysis of effective feedback

Instruction: “You should make sure that all items have price stickers”

Feedback: “Also those in the store?” Instruction: “Yes”

The listener gives information back to the sender, to make sure that he or she has understood the message. This way, the task is started better.

Analysis of effective feedback:

Two hours later… Feedback: “I’ve put stickers on most items,

but what shall we do with items in boxes?” Instruction: “Those should also have stickers”

This feedback is given while performing the task. It again improves performance.

Analysis of effective feedback:

One hour later… Feedback: “I have finished putting on price

stickers. The stickers are almost finished, we need to buy more.”

This final feedback reports on the completion of the task. The supervisor knows that the job is ready, and, that stickers should be re-ordered.

Effective feedback in a diagram

You can understand feedback events better by drawing them in a diagram.

You will see that information is fed back to the start of a process…

Effective feedback in a diagram

Example: no feedback

Consider what may happen in the example if there had not been any feedback:

Instruction: “You should make sure that all items have price stickers”

Answer: “Yessir!!”

Discuss for a few minutes what may be going wrong!

Diagram: no feedback

Exercise: feedback

In the following exercise, you will consider the feedback process that A&A uses in the engineering department…

Exercise: feedback

Provide text for the boxes below

Exercise: feedback

Here you see possible text for the boxes

Exercise: feedback

Without feedback, the technician gets insufficient information from the client, the client will not know what was done, will not be informed that the PC is ready and receives no recommendation, A&A is not paid for the repair!

Use feedback

Use feedback whenever there is communication between people, so at A&A Computers:

Clients with technicians, sales staff;Supervisors with technicians, sales staff;Employees amongst each other;Supervisors amongst each other.

Use feedback

We give feedback using these means:Talking face-to-faceEmailPhone, SMSRepair reportsOrder listsOther reports and databases

Conclusions

Performance is lower when there is no feedback;

Feedback results in clear communication;

Conclusions

Feedback is given at three stages: when the task is explained, when the task is executed, and after the task has been completed;

Employees of A&A Computers should use feedback to improve their performance.

Conclusions

There are many means of giving feedback, for example by meeting face-to-face, phone, SMS, email, reports and databases.

Feedback improves performance

The end