We can all agree that, as an employer, there’s just no getting around providing feedback to our employees when things go wrong. That’s the nature of the beast when running a business. So if it’s something we have to do, we might as well learn how to do it in a way that best serves ourselves, our business, and our team, right? What I’ve found to be the best approach is this: Provide constant, “negative” feedback. Before you completely balk at the idea, I’ll tell you what I mean.
Most of us don’t like giving or receiving negative feedback because there is this idea of rejection baked into it. So let’s clarify:
Negative feedback = Every time something goes wrong, you’re going to stop and have a conversation with your employee about it.
Constant feedback = You actively provide people your perspective on how they are doing on a consistent, ongoing basis. (Hint: They should not be hearing for the first time in an annual review that their performance is less than satisfactory in some critical area.)
What I DON’T mean is that you should rant at your employees on a regular basis. That’s not what this is.
OK, so now that we’ve defined “negative” feedback and hopefully made it feel less negative, let’s look at why you may still be resistant.
As an employer, it can feel extremely daunting to address mistakes and errors head-on if we hold the following beliefs:
So, the first step is to work on our own resistance by challenging these beliefs and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. Yes, these conversations can trigger feelings of unworthiness or failure in our employees. They may have an internalized belief that mistakes mean they are a bad person and they will experience a negative consequence.
These challenges don’t mean we avoid feedback altogether. It means we factor them into our approach.
As with most things in life and business, we can start breaking down our walls of resistance by actively managing our thoughts. This can look like:
Ok, now that we’re warming up to the idea that giving negative feedback is actually a great thing, how the hell do we do it?
The idea is to reframe your negative feedback even before you give it so that people receive it as a growth opportunity, and not anything negative at all. It’s not a hand-slap, it’s a coaching conversation. You can slowly start to shift this experience by being consistent and asking the right questions when giving feedback.
Here are some questions to ask:
This will enable your employees to see how their thinking led them down the wrong path. In this way, when they start thinking in a similar manner in the future, they can course-correct before a negative consequence has to happen.
You’re probably thinking, oh no, do I have to have one of these conversations every day? Honestly, you may have to have them more often at first as you introduce this approach to your firm. But over time, these conversations should happen less and less.
How?
You hire the right people.
The right people won’t be making mistakes so often that you need to do these kinds of coaching conversations every day. The right people are invested in growing after every mistake. The right people aren’t just willing to do the job of the day, they’re willing to grow into who they need to become in order to be effective in the role in the future.
Remember: If you’re growing a business, you are growing yourself. And as you grow yourself through the trials and tribulations of growing a business, you are also going to outgrow your employees if they’re not willing to go through it with you to get to the other side.
Want to make sure you’re hiring the right people in the first place? Check out this episode of the Crushing Chaos with Law Firm Mentor podcast.
Looking for guidance and support? Schedule a no-pressure, 15-minute call with our growth strategist and let’s talk.