Feedback; The Good, The Bad and The Delivery

How do you feel about feedback? Do you receive it from your manager; do you give feedback to your team, your colleagues or your friends?

We all feel different about feedback, because we are all different. Some people love it, others are okay with it, and others just hate it.

I'm sure that you have colleagues or people on your team who always want to know "how they're doing." They come and speak to you and show what they're doing. "Is this okay, am I doing this right?" They're constantly looking for reassurance that they're doing the right thing. Then you'll have others who never come and speak to you at all, and get most uncomfortable whether you're giving them the good news or the bad.

Feedback is one of the Top 3 Factors that motivate people at work. The majority of employees want to know when they're doing well and when they could be doing better.

There are managers who are happy to receive feed back and resultantly, are comfortable giving it to others, because they believe everyone feels the same way they do.

And of course, if you look at it the other way round; managers who are less comfortable receiving feedback, tend to believe that their team feel the same way. This is often the biggest danger because many managers don't receive feedback from their manager and subconsciously feel – "Why should I give feedback to my guys when I don't get it?"

Whether you receive feedback or not; whether you feel uncomfortable giving it or not – you still need to do it for your people. Just be aware that they're all different individuals and they might react in different ways. Almost everyone wants feedback – how much, is just a matter of degree.

There are two types of feedback and a way of doing it.

The Good

This is what we call, Confirming feedback; telling a team member that you support whatever you've seen them do or heard them say; it's a compliment or a thank you. It's about 'catching people doing something right.'

Successful managers realise that almost everyone reacts positively to Confirming feedback. They feel better about themselves and they feel motivated to repeat the behaviour. There is a saying that says – "You get more of what you reward."

If you tell someone that you like the way they have completed some aspect of their work, then you'll find that they continue to do that work in the same way or probably even better.

Confirming feedback is worth a fortune to you in terms of motivating your team and achieving your goals and targets.

The Bad

This is what we call, Productive feedback on behaviour you're not happy with. As you spend time with people, you're going to hear and see things that may not ensure your outcomes. Ask yourself; "Is this something that is going to stop me achieving my outcomes of a happy and motivated team who achieve their targets?" If the answer is "no" then you're going to have to do something about it.

There are various things you can do; you can ignore the behaviour you're not happy about, you can reprimand the person, or you can coach them.

Coaching is not a soft option; it's about finding out the cause of poor performance or behaviour and discussing with the other person about how to put it right. You tell the other person what you're not happy with, listen to what they have to say and agree a way forward.

The Delivery

Whether you want to reinforce behaviour - Confirming feedback, or change unacceptable behaviour – Productive feedback, there are certain steps you need to follow to make it work.

You need to do it as soon as possible and in private. Tell them how you feel about their behaviour, not how the organisation or anyone else feels. It's important to focus on one thing at a time and don't confuse the other person with a whole list of behaviours.

You need to be specific and get input from the other person. And most importantly; don't leave them low!

If you get all of this right, you'll have a highly motivated team who, increase customer satisfaction, boost sales and make a positive contribution to your business.

More Customers, More Sales in 2009

Focus on Strengths Not Weaknesses

Let me ask you a simple question – what do you believe a manager's job is all about? What is it that managers do on a day to day basis?

Now, if you're a manager, or you probably work for one, then you'd almost certainly be able to list a whole range of actions and activities. They might include – interviewing, solving problems, dealing with customers, planning, report writing, analysing data, dealing with complaints and hopefully, leading and motivating the people who report to them.

Many managers seem to believe that, over and above these activities, the prime function of their job is to identify weaknesses in members of their team, and resolve them. In other words, they relentlessly focus on the 'negative aspects' of an employee's job. They do this, at worst, by criticising, and reprimanding or, at best, by coaching or training. I am aware of managers that spend a great deal of their time exploring an employee's performance looking for some perceived fault or aspect that could be improved. Parents often focus on the negative aspects of a child's school report rather than the positive.

Too many managers are spending too much time trying to change people.

They seem to believe that if they train people, tell them what to do or even threaten them with disciplinary action or the sack, then they can get them to change.

The successful manager concentrates on developing the strengths of their team members – not trying to correct their weaknesses. Sometimes you have to manage around a weakness, but you can't make people what they're not.

When I was a teenager, my father sent me for piano lessons for about three years. He was determined that I would learn to play the piano. To this day I can not play a note. I realise now, as an adult, that I am just not musical. Strange as it may seem, I'm not particularly interested in music. My CD collection consists of about 6 CD's which I rarely listen to. If I had attended piano lessons for even more years then I'm sure I could have become competent, however, I would never be any good at playing the piano.

It's a waste of time trying to correct weaknesses that can't be sorted. Some people just can't build relationships with customers, others can't work as fast as you need them to, others can't write a report to save their life, (and 'certain other people' will never be able to play the piano)

Your most productive time as a manager will be spent focussing on strengths and how to develop these further. If you give people feedback on what they do well; then it is often the case that there is an improvement in what they don't do so well. By focussing on the positives, they feel more motivated to improve the negative aspects of their performance.

So there you have it; whether in your business or personal life, focus on the positive aspects of other people, not on the negatives.

Remember: People have one thing in common; they are all different.

Follow me on Twitter

As you're no doubt aware, there are more and more ways to keep in touch with both your business and personal contacts. This Blog is produced each month to keep me in touch with you, the people who have attended my seminars and those who may do so in the future.

I'll continue to send you my newsletter every month (you can sign up on this page) however; there are other ways we can communicate.

From this month onwards I will post more articles on this blog. This allows me to send you more tips, techniques, skills and strategies to build your career and your business. It's much more flexible, I can include video and you can send me an instant response to anything in the blog.

When you visit the blog you will be able to subscribe where you see 'Subscribe to the Club.' You will need an RSS feed which will allow you to see when new content has been added to the blog. So when a new article is posted, the RSS feed will automatically notify you! These feeds can be delivered straight to your inbox if you have Outlook 2007 or they can go straight to your homepage.

All the articles in this blog will also be available as a podcast and you can subscribe to that by clicking the links on the right side of this page. It is also available on iTunes.

You can also follow me on Twitter. If you haven't heard of it; it's a way to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of short status messages. I'll use it to let you know when the blog has been updated and all sorts of other stuff.

If it's good enough for President Obama, it's good enough for me.

The best thing is to click this link and you'll find out more about it: - http://twitter.com/motivationdoc

Let’s Keep Things in Proportion

According to the media, it's going to be a less than fantastic 2009. They tell us that businesses will close, unemployment will rise and that customers and sales will be harder to come by.

Sad to say, many businesses have already closed and staff been made redundant. I trust that your job and your business are secure in 2009. However, I'm getting a bit fed up with all this negativity, doom and gloom. As I write this blog, the headline news is that Marks and Spencer sales are down by 7% over the Christmas period. What is buried in the news is that, Department Store chain, John Lewis, is up 2.4% in sales over the Christmas period.

I'm aware of two other organisations in the service industry, both working in the same market, selling the same service, to the same customers. One of them, in late 2008, closed branches and made staff redundant. The other opened new branches, employed new staff and expanded into new markets. I'm glad to say, I'll be working with the second organisation in 2009.

I believe; that it's always been a challenge to motivate staff, find new customers, develop existing ones and generate more sales. My business is about helping individuals and organisations do just that. So if you want to know what happens after a Motivation Doctor Seminar, email askalan@themotivationdoctor.com

"Look up, laugh loud, talk big, keep the color in your cheek and the fire in your eye, adorn your person, maintain your health, your beauty and your animal spirits." - William Hazlitt

6 New Seminars and Workshops to: Ensure Your Success in 2009

You can either sit back and face the results of the worldwide downturn in business in 2009 or you can do something about it.
I have designed 6 new seminars to bring you tangible sales results for your organisation.

Click this link for more details

2 Sure-Fire Tips to Shine in 2009

Let me tell you a quick story. When I left school and started looking for a job as an apprentice engineer. I was repeatedly told, “It’s a bad time to find a job.” It was, and it took time and effort.
When I decided to leave engineering and find a job in sales; I was repeatedly told, “It’s a bad time to find a job in sales.” It was, and it took time and effort.
When I decided to give up my job and start my own business in 1993; I was told by lots of well meaning people, “It’s a bad time to start a new business.” It was and it took time and lots of effort.
I don’t know about your job or your business, but when has it ever been a good time to find a job, or get promoted, or start a business, or find new customers, or sell more of your product or service?
Admittedly, 2009 will be a challenge for many people and for more than a few businesses.
If you want to shine in 2009, then what you need is lots of BRAIN ENERGY and lots of BODY ENERGY!
Sure-fire tip number 1 is – Build your Brain Energy.
Imagine that you’ve just been rejected for a bank loan, or you’ve just been turned down for promotion or a potential customer has rejected your proposal. Perhaps a publishing company has rejected the book that you’ve slaved over for the past couple of years.
If you react with – “Oh no, not again, I’m really fed up with this. These people are a real pain. They’re making a big mistake. What am I going to do now?”
This sort of reaction drains your brain of energy; it adds to your stress levels and destroys your self motivation.
Reacting drains the brain – thinking less so.
Get the thinking part of your brain working and say to yourself – “I’ll make an appointment today with a better bank! I’ll show my employer how good I really am or I’ll find a new job. I’ll phone the next potential customer on my list right now! And the next publishing company will see the potential in my book!”

There are also many minor situations that happen every day that’ll drain the energy from your brain. Let’s say you receive a parking ticket; pay the fine right away; get rid of it, forget it and move on. Moaning and complaining about it drains your brain and the fine still has to be paid.
Do not, and I repeat, do not say – “Oh no, what am I going to do now!?” Every time you say – “Oh no” your brain has a huge drain of energy.

Build up your brain energy by using lots positive self-talk.
Your level of success in terms of your happiness, emotional wellbeing and anything else you desire is a direct result of how you talk to yourself. The most important relationship you’ll ever have is the one you have with yourself.
Listen to the self-talk that goes on in your head and ask yourself – “Is what I’m saying allowing me to be confident, on top and going for it?” If so – great!
“Or is it holding me back and stopping me achieve my goals?” If this is the case – STOP IT, change the program!
Think about the things you say to yourself and make every statement in the present tense.
Don’t say, for example – “I’m going to make a success of this business” or “I’m going to get organised,” or "I’m going to lose weight and get fitter" or “I’m going to be much more confident.”
Say – “I am totally in control of my life. I am totally confident and positive. I’m achieving my goals. I have determination and drive.”
What you’re actually doing here is re-programming your subconscious. If you talk to yourself in a positive way, that’s what your subconscious will focus on and you’ll have lots of brain energy

Sure-fire tip number 2 is - Build your Body Energy

The body and the brain are linked together so when the brain drains of energy so does the body. However, the body also does a lot of running about, up and down off the seat and often takes a bit of a beating.
For it to work well, it needs to be in good condition in the first place. We all know by now that if we eat too much or eat the wrong things, smoke too much or drink too much alcohol, then our body is in danger of breaking down.
If you want more body energy, then you’re going to have to do some exercise. (Do I hear you saying - “I need the body energy before I can do the exercise!?”) You know as well as I, that if you take more exercise, you will have more energy.
Now I know you think you don’t have the time. You may also be the type that doesn’t want to go to the gym and lift heavy things or leap about in an aerobics class; however, I am totally convinced that you need to take some exercise that makes you sweat a little.
I’m sorry, but walking the dog or a round of golf doesn’t count, it isn’t the kind of exercise I’m talking about. Golf is great and it’s good for the stress, but it doesn’t make you sweat.

If you’re going to walk then walk fast for a distance, enough to push up the heart rate and increase the breathing.
Again, get your internal program right and start to think how you can make your exercise enjoyable. I see some people at the health club making the whole business a real chore. They get on a bike or a rowing machine and try to kill themselves for twenty minutes. If that’s your thing then fine, but please don’t make it a chore, plug into the sound system and catch up with what’s on TV.

If you’re really not into exercise then please make sure you have other activities outside of your workplace and make them fun. Too many people are going home and slumping in front of the TV - successful people don’t do that.

A laugh and a sweat a day – keeps the stress away!

Make no mistake about it; if you look after the Body and the Brain:
You’ll shine in 2009