Using Feedback Effectively

by Erin Seligson

Feedback is information performers receive about the quantity or quality of their behavior. (Alvero, Bucklin & Austin, 2001). It is commonly used to alter the performance of a group or individual and is essential in many organizations. However, delivering feedback alone will not necessarily affect performance to the desired extent. Several components should be combined to ensure the effectiveness of feedback.

Performance to be altered

Before delivering feedback, you should decide what should be changed in the organization. Does an entire group need to improve, or just some individuals within a group? Group feedback may be yield more consistent results than feedback delivered to individuals. Individual feedback may also be considerably more expensive to deliver (Prue & Fairbank, 1981).

Look at the performance of the group or individual and decide what behaviors you are most interested in altering. You can either measure permanent products or observe behaviors as they occur. The information you deliver to the group or individual will be based on what you decide.

Establish the content of the feedback

After deciding to whom feedback will be delivered, you need to determine what it will include. The most effective feedback will compare the performance to either a standard of how it should have been done, or how it was done in the past by that group or individual.

Information of performance compared to a standard could be an exemplar or a goal that was set previously. If it is based on previous performance, it could be compared to prior performance when feedback was delivered or data were collected.

Determine the structure of feedback

Several feedback dimensions should be considered to deliver the most effective feedback.

• Graphs and written feedback about performance are recommended
• A supervisor, manager or researcher delivering it is preferred to a colleague
• Remind the group or individual prior to the actual performance—post signs describing how you want things done, announce what you are interested in, etc.
• Include goal setting—allow the people of interest to set their own realistic goals based on their past performance
• Combining public and private feedback might yield the best outcomes
• Results do not seem to vary based on weekly vs. daily feedback

Add consequences for behavior

It is important to add consequences to feedback. Before establishing a feedback and reward procedure, consider asking those involved to brainstorm what rewards they would prefer, and then deliver them based on improvement or goals achieved.

Track the results

The above tips should promote quality feedback delivery and, in turn, improve performance in your organization. Keep good records of what you do and how it affects everyone involved. Review these records to ensure your feedback system is working as well as you like. If it is not, change the system one component at a time so you know what was responsible for the improvement.

References
1. Alvero, A.M., Bucklin, B.M., & Austin, J. (2001). An objective review of the effectiveness and essential characteristics of performance feedback in organizational settings. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 21(1), 3-29.
2. Prue, D.M., & Fairbank, J.A. (1981). Performance feedback in organizational behavior management: A review. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 3(1), 1-16.