FEEDBACK

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FEEDBACK

• Emotion
• Evaluator
• Worker
• Managing Emotional Reactions
• Evaluator
• Worker

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Feedback Emotion

• Delivering Feedback
• Evaluating performance delivering feedback may
  seem like a nonaffective task, but there are
  numerous reasons why emotional reactions can
  occur.
• Emotions can range from temporary anxiety to
  questioning of self confidence and altering
  evaluations feedback.

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Delivering Feedback Some Bases for Emotion

• 1. Will the worker agree with the feedback?
• 2. Will the worker accept the feedback?
• 3. Will the worker question the evaluations?
• 4. Will the worker disagree with the diagnoses
  and recommendations?
• 5. Will the worker react rationally or
  emotionally?
• 6. If the worker disagrees, will I be able to
  justify my evaluation and be able to stand firm
  with my feedback,?

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• 7. What if the worker succeeds in changing the
  evaluation? Will I lose power and credibility?
• 8. How will I manage this worker if they react
  negatively?
• 9. Will the worker file a grievance?
• 10. If a grievance is filed, would my case be
  strong enough to win it?
• 11. Are there things I have missed that should
  have been included in the evaluation and
  feedback?
• 12. Am I being fair, or could I somehow be
  biased about this worker?

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• The cost of emotions influencing evaluations
  feedback?
• Evaluations feedback no longer useful for
  development administrative purposes.
• Will raise issues of fairness.

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Ways in which evaluator affect can influence
feedback
Evaluator Affect
Worker Performance Behavior Results
Observation
Diagnosis
Evaluation
Feedback
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Steps for Managing the Possible Influence of
Evaluator Affect

• Clear Criteria
• Ambiguous criteria open door for affect or for
  perception that affect is an influence
• Common Standards
• Developing common standards (such as thorough FOR
  training) signals that performance should be the
  focus
• Performance Record
• Regular documentation of worker performance can
  increase the focus on behavior results
• Cont.

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• Voice System
• Knowing that a grievance may have to be dealt
  with can direct evaluators away from
  nonperformance issues
• Self Awareness
• Being aware of possible influences on the
  judgment process can help evaluators avoid error
  bias
• Evaluation
• Holding evaluators accountable for their feedback
  development efforts can make the issue real
  important

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Conceptual Framework for Understanding
Influencing Evaluator Affect

• Focus
• Relevant Irrelevant
• Increase
• Direction
• Decrease

Clear Criterion Common Standards Perf. Record Bias Error
Deficient Voice System Self Awareness Evaluation
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Receiving Feedback

• Receiving feedback isnt necessarily a
  nonaffective task - a variety of emotional
  reactions are possible.
• Examples of Emotional Reactions
• to Feedback
• Surprise - The feedback was better than you
  expected
• Defensiveness - You need to defend yourself
• Shock - You can't believe how poor the ratings
  and feedback are
• Anger - The evaluation isn't fair
• Rejection - The feedback must not be accurate

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Managing Possible Emotional Reactions to
Performance Feedback

• Evaluator Perspective
• The focus here is on the emotional reaction of
  the worker, but there is much the evaluator can
  do to prevent the occurrence of emotional
  reactions or to lessen the severity.
• Evaluator Approaches
• Performance focus
• Focus on performance, not the person
• Cont.

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• Relevance
• Stick to relevant performance characteristics.
  Including factors perceived by worker to be
  irrelevant may result in anger rejection.
• Distinction between relevant irrelevant can
  sometimes be difficult.
• Let worker define relevance
• Know limits of your expertise
• No Surprises
• It is the responsibility of the evaluator to make
  the worker aware of performance deficiencies
  before the formal performance review session
• Cont.

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• Be Engaged
• How a message is delivered can sometimes be as
  important as the content of the message
• Exhibit 6.5 - Engagement Characteristics
• Body Language
• Orient toward the worker
• Lean forward
• Maintain eye contact
• Feedback Process
• Ask open-ended questions
• Actively listen

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• Worker Perspective
• While some things can should be done by the
  evaluator to manage the possibility of an
  emotional reaction, the emotions are, in the end,
  the workers.
• Tactics for Workers
• Separate yourself from your performance
• Recognize that our performance is not who we are
  as people.
• Be realistic in your performance expectations
• Do not expect to achieve an unattainable goal
  then be emotionally distraught when feedback is
  less than perfect.
• Cont.

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• Be future oriented
• Use performance feedback as a basis for planning
  future performance. Use the feedback to move
  ahead, not to dwell on the past.
• Dont be surprised
• Make sure you are receiving informal feedback
• Recognize your emotional tendencies
• It will help you to better frame the feedback
  recognize your emotional tendencies if they begin
  to occur