How to give good feedback as a first-time manager

In this series, manpower reporter Tay Hong Yi offers practical answers to candid questions on navigating workplace challenges and getting ahead in your career.

Q: I’m leading a team for the first time. How do I give constructive feedback to those I manage?

Providing good feedback is crucial to bringing out the potential of those you manage.

This is why newly minted leaders need to gain this skill quickly to help others learn which areas to improve in, why it is necessary and how to do so.

Those appointed to lead for the first time, particularly after a long career without such responsibilities, may struggle with several aspects of providing good feedback, such as active listening, observes Ms Ishita Bandyopadhyay, associate partner for talent solutions, South-east Asia, at professional services firm Aon.

It can be a challenge to find time to provide feedback to everyone when necessary and to make a habit out of giving regular feedback.

New leaders may also find it difficult to provide relatable feedback that recipients are motivated to act on, or they may reject a subordinate’s solutions out of hand.

Being sensitive to the feelings, body language and verbal cues of individuals receiving feedback is essential to curbing such negative tendencies, advises Dr James Kwan, director for executive coaching at executive search firm Cornerstone International Group.

“When giving feedback, they should be patient and open to listening to employees’ views with no prejudice.”

He adds that new leaders should also be empathetic, authentic and constructive. They should avoid being defensive and having a fixed mindset.

Ms Bandyopadhyay says managers should listen actively to what feedback recipients say before, during and after the session. Such sharing can provide valuable context on the causes behind the employee’s challenges and the support needed to ensure improvement, she adds.

She also recommends the following steps:

1. Include an observation of the issue and an explanation of the impact it has caused,
2. Pause for the recipient to process and respond, and
3. Give suggestions on ways to improve.

Some managers are reluctant to give negative feedback to avoid being perceived badly by their subordinates.

Others may be too harsh when giving negative feedback, being overly critical or not showing empathy to the employee, who then loses confidence and motivation, Dr Kwan says.

Particularly eager to assert and prove themselves, younger, freshly minted leaders could end up fixating on providing corrective feedback instead of building trust with their subordinates first, according to Ms Bandyopadhyay.

“This needs to be reversed,” she says, adding that these younger leaders are well-placed to build trust more readily as they can empathise with junior team members who might need more feedback.

Both Ms Bandyopadhyay and Dr Kwan stress that new leaders should not shy away from giving negative feedback, including to subordinates who were previously their peers.

To ensure that feedback is respected and acted upon, Dr Kwan advises framing it in positive terms and as an opportunity for improvement. Leaders get better at giving quality feedback by communicating openly and regularly, even if it is over lunch, he adds.

New leaders also need to ensure they can substantiate each point of feedback and not appear to be jumping to conclusions or acting on subconscious biases.

“They can also seek advice from their superiors who are more experienced in giving feedback,” Dr Kwan suggests.

Employers that wish to help fledgling leaders develop skills in giving feedback can provide mentoring, coaching and formal courses.

A 360-degree feedback policy, which refers to a structured process of soliciting feedback on a worker from their peers, subordinates and superiors can also be put in place.

This would provide a demonstration of how feedback is given and received, which a new leader can learn from.

Ms Bandyopadhyay says: “Having the initial discipline to structure their feedback and practise it continuously will help a leader build the skill of giving quality constructive feedback.”

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This article was originally published in The Straits Times.