Feedback loop

The significance of feedback in Leadership.

At work we have required training goals that we are expected to meet each month. We have a team dedicated to help us figure out what we need to learn based on our job requirements and what interests us. At the end of each month they send a report to all the managers on how each team member is doing on their goals, number of hours trained, % of our goal met and a bunch of other stats. Pretty cool. When I started leading a team of engineers and started getting these fancy reports, I got super excited for this great tool I can use as part on my one-on-ones to recognize the hard work my team members are putting in meeting their goals and/or ask how I can help the team members who aren’t meeting their goals. Likewise my manager also gets these reports that highlights how I am doing on my goals. As a diligent employee, I met my goal for 11 consecutive months and never heard a word of acknowledgement or recognition that I had met or exceeded my training goal, so I tried to experiment a little, I did not meet my goal for a month. Now I know what’s the first thought that would come to your mind, “Oh you got told off for not meeting your goal.” The answer is: Nope!

So whether I exceeded my goal, met my goal or did not meet my goal, there was never an acknowledgement of that. There was no FEEDBACK.

As a leader when you take the time to evaluate how your team members are doing, not just the mere tasks that are assigned to them for their day-to-day jobs, but their personal and professional growth, it shows that you care, that you have put in the effort to recognize the hard work they are doing. The result,

Now a loop shall include giving as well as asking for feedback. I recall in the very first round of quarterly reviews I performed as a lead I asked my team members, “What is the one thing I can start, stop and continue doing?” They all started talking about themselves, what can they start, stop or continue doing. I had to interrupt them and mention, “In this question I am asking for feedback from you all, what can your lead start, stop and continue doing.” They were surprised and most of them said in one way or another, “None of the other leads have ever asked us for what we think about them.”

See the beauty of feedback loop is when you establish trust among your employees, they feel more comfortable to give feedback. And I think the more feedback we get, the more we can improve ourselves by acting on the feedback we receive.

It all sounds groovy that we give feedback and we ask for feedback but if we don’t act upon it, we lose the trust of our team members and the odds that they will feel comfortable or even put in the effort to give you feedback next time are less.

So give feedback, ask for feedback, act on the feedback and communicate. Consistently create a feedback loop so that you can have the momentum going and keep the team morale high. That’s the most valuable tool you have as a leader to build a strong, high performing team.

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