Several steps to delivering helpful feedback
NAFCU staff last week pulled off what I think was hands-down the best Congressional Caucus yet. Credit union representatives from around the country came to Washington, D.C., and heard from many leading lawmakers and regulators about the good work the industry has and continues to do. I was flooded with positive messages from our members about the conference.
I couldnâÂÂt be more proud of my colleagues. Their connections with each other and NAFCUâÂÂs member credit unions are some of the reasons that make our organization so great. And congratulating them on their successful effort last week got me thinking about the importance of feedback.
Delivering positive feedback is one of the great perks of being a leader. But delivering negative feedback, though necessary at times, can be a not-so-great experience. An Inc.com article lists several ways leaders can deliver negative feedback that helps employees improve their performance and makes your company better.
A few of the suggestions include:
- Stick to the facts. Describe the specific behavior you would like to see changed and the impact the current behavior has on other team members and the organization.
- Talk about the next steps. Talk about what youâÂÂd like to see going forward and outline exactly what your expectations are.
- Balance the bad with the good. Sometimes itâÂÂs easy to notice what went wrong with someoneâÂÂs work, and we overlook how often that person has done really good work. DonâÂÂt fall into that trap.
- DonâÂÂt wait. Make sure the feedback is delivered in a timely manner. DonâÂÂt save up good or bad feedback but set aside time regularly to deliver your comments.
Follow me on Twitter (@BDanBerger).