Honesty Is the Best Policy
Delivering honest feedback to employees doesn't have to be painful, if done right.
There’s a proverb that states, “Gold cannot be pure, and people cannot be perfect.” If people cannot be perfect, it follows that everyone will make mistakes. In an imperfect world, opportunities to give or receive negative feedback abound. Whether you are on the giving or receiving end, how the feedback is handled will determine whether the next step is forward or backward. If done in the right way and with the right intentions, feedback can inspire greatness. Practice managers know that a practice will not function effectively unless staff behavior is reviewed and assessed periodically. Good behavior deserves praise. Negative behavior should be identified and changed. Praise is much easier to deliver than criticism. However, feedback that is honest and sensitive can contain emotions and prevent reactions from spinning out of control.
It’s How You Say It
Giving feedback effectively is a skill. And like most skills, it takes practice to build confidence and improve. Peter Ainslie, CVPM, a VHMA member since 1989, is an administrator at Halifax Veterinary Hospital Inc. in Nova Scotia. He recently organized communication/conflict management training for his staffers to help them address anticipated changes in the practice, as well as changes in the world around them that affect the practice.
Before addressing the behavior, Ainslie recommends examining the issue by removing your filters and actively listening. By adopting this strategy, a manager is more apt to successfully communicate the facts of the behavior in question, rather than have the message obscured by emotions.
If you are “piloting” the feedback session, begin as pilots do by going through a personal “takeoff checklist.” Ask yourself if you are willing to be open-minded and listen to the employee’s response; are you prepared to stick to the facts; and can you avoid using emotionally charged words to describe the behavior.
When a manager approaches the issue in a nonthreatening, factual way, there is an increased probability that the employee will respond in kind. The goal is to share the information in an atmosphere of detente, rather than in a combat zone. Whether the behavior derives from a misunderstood remark, a difference of opinion or a slight, a manager’s role is to diffuse the conflict by approaching the behavior as a natural and neutral event, neither positive nor negative. For example, if you must take a staff member to task for the way the employee relates to clients, you stand a better chance of improving behavior by describing the behavior rather than proclaiming it loutish, obnoxious or ridiculous. Ainslie suggests providing feedback at regular intervals and preparing remarks beforehand to ensure that negative feelings do not intensify while emotions are high.
Remember to Check Your Baggage
There are many ways to relate to conflict, but whatever approach you choose is often based on firmly entrenched behavioral patterns. It is critical to remind yourself why you are providing the feedback. It is not to denigrate, humiliate or embarrass your staff. As a manager, you are responsible for ensuring staffers are working to their potential. And, while pointing out behavior that may be inhibiting or interfering with an employee’s performance is the manager’s responsibility, doing it in a respectful manner is also important.
Their Two Cents Is Worth a Fortune
The effective manager encourages input to understand the unique issues that may be interfering with an employee’s performance. When speaking with an employee, it is imperative that he be given adequate time to respond to feedback. Before starting in with comments and suggestions, give the employee the floor. This will provide a richer context for you to understand the issue from the employee’s perspective. It could be that the employee is painfully aware of her shortcomings and has been trying to identify a solution. It is also possible that the employee is oblivious to the problem. In either event, added insights into the employee’s thought process will allow a manager to proceed in a more thoughtful, sensitive and effective manner. This approach also allows you to fashion solutions that are developed in concert with the employee, rather than imposing your will on the employee.
I’m All Ears
Delivering feedback and resolving conflict are not one-sided conversations.They require good listening skills. Active listening requires that the person delivering the feedback pause often and acknowledge the presence of others. To successfully acknowledge the presence of others, the speaker should stop and listen with his entire being. It is important to see, hear and try to understand what is being said. Better listening is essential to establishing trust.
An Overview for Delivering Feedback
When it’s time to deliver the feedback, it can be helpful to review the key points for effective communication. These include:
Ensure the feedback is not all critical, identifying some valid strength in the employee’s performance.
Contain the remarks to observable actions, not personality.
Ban the extreme words such as “You never” or “You always.”
Avoid using the word “why,” which puts people on the defensive.
Ask questions to flush out the situation rather than talk too much.
Remain supportive and make the employee feel valued.
Continue to improve your communication skills.
Remember, feedback provides an opportunity to grow and mature. In order for this to occur, Ainslie cautions that those to whom you are giving feedback should be made to feel safe and secure.
The Upside of Feedback
Ainslie also notes that the readjustment of people’s outlook upon receiving feedback and understanding it as a positive force is a slow process that must be addressed incrementally. Since his office instituted its training program several months ago, he can see that the foundation for trust has been established, which will allow the team to confront change and conflict in a more constructive manner.
Christine Shupe is the Executive Director of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association. The association is dedicated to enhancing and serving professionals in veterinary management through superior education, certification and networking. For more information, visit www.vhma.org.
