A631.3.4.RB - Feedback and Goals

According to Brown, the combination of goals with feedback on performance has a positive impact on performance. However, providing feedback without proper goals is counterproductive and does not lead to enhanced performance. Timely feedback (after the task activity is completed) between manager leader and employee is important too because all the details, information, facts and data are fresh in everyone's mind and documented. (Brown, 2011) Everyone wants feedback, input and coaching on goals. Employees want to know how they are performing and what improvements such as new work skills, problem-solving, computer skills etc. are necessary in order to become a high performer and team player. Most employees prefer to be coached by a senior level manager leader who is a subject matter expert (SME) in a specific field, e.g., industrial and systems engineering. The preferred process is 1:1 face to face instead of telephone or e-mail feedback. The preferred schedule is weekly, monthly and informally after completing a project assignment. (Deal, 2006) Employers face a huge challenge, opportunity and paradigm shift: to lead a diverse workforce of all ages and backgrounds. For the first time in US history, five different generations populate the workforce. The change will includes five different generations of employees working together on the same team. This will include: Traditionalists (born before 1946), Baby Boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1976), Millennials (1977-1997) and Generation 2020. As work becomes more complex and technical, skills including data analysis, problem-solving, relationship building and teaming with other workers and teams will be required. Personal and team goals along with collaboration and communication will be required for the diverse workforce including managers leaders providing feedback on goals and performance. everyone is different too with skills, goals and experiences. (Meister & Willyerd, 2010) Leaders managers and sometimes organizations tend to believe that knowledge, skills and abilities are the only factors affecting employees goals and performance. However, there are several additional factors and dynamics that impact and influence employee's performance capacity. These are: management and co-worker support and follow-up, allocation of resources and sometimes luck. Contrary to the common belief and paradigm that the playing field is balanced, it is anything but this due these factors and dynamics. This demonstrates the importance of closed-loop communication between manager leader and employee. It is leaderships role and responsibility to have an open culture for all employees to be a team player and high performer. (Kaplan and Donovan, 2013) From my personal experience, it is important to develop, establish and strengthen trust and respect with your team including manager by developing and building on goals (yearly). This can also include a plan of the tasks to do this and continuous improvement. I use several communication and "connecting" tools to do this. The first is bi-weekly 1:1 coaching meetings with my manager. Our team uses a standard 4-panel chart summary including: goals, status, constraints and schedule in a stop light chart format (green - complete or on schedule, yellow - potential constraints issues, and red - behind schedule). We review projects I am working on including progress to date, constraints and anything I need assistance on. Other issues include teaming within other shifts, training, skills and education. Secondly, our team has daily "Huddles" with team. For example, have a daily 15 minute huddle to exercise stretch, review roles and responsibilities for the day and week, review metrics and share and help each other out for problems, issues and back-up coverage. We share and discuss new ideas and learning experiences from training classes. Third, we use customer feedback surveys to our goals and use both qualitative and quantitative tools for analysis. These communication and "connecting" tools leads to greater engagement, empowerment, performance and customer focus and satisfaction. References Brown, Donald R. (2011). An Experiential Approach to Organization Development (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Deal, Jennifer J. (2006). Retiring the Generation Gap: How Employees Young & Old Can Find Common Ground. Hoboken, New Jersey: Jossey-Bass. Kaplan, Mark and Donovan, Mason (2013). The Inclusion Dividend: Why Investing in Diversity & Inclusion Pays Off. Austin, Texas: Bibliomotion. Meister, Jeanne C. and Willyerd, Karie (2010). The 2020 Workplace: How Innovative Companies Attract, Develop, and Keep Tomorrow's Employees Today. New York City: HarperCollins Publishers.