Providing performance feedback

- Giving good feedback is one of the cheapest, most time efficient, valuable things you can do as a leader to improve morale and retention. Consider this, there was a recent study by PWC, and they discovered that millennials are more likely to leave if their needs for support and appreciation and flexibility are not met. Now, compare this to workers born before 1983. The non-millennials are more likely to leave if they feel like they're not being paid competitively, or they perceive a lack of development opportunities. So what does this mean for you? It means that if you can give good feedback, you can keep your best millennials. Let's look at two scenarios and compare the difference between good feedback and exceptional feedback. Elizabeth, I just wanted to tell you great job on that project last week. - Oh, thanks, I worked really hard on it. - Now I know you did, and the clients saw that summary sheet, and they really like it. - Good, I'm glad it went well. - It was really great, so thanks, keep up the really good work. Okay, in that first scenario, I gave Elizabeth the standard great job sort of pep talk. It was good, and she probably walks away feeling good about what she did, but how likely is it that she understands the impact she has, and how likely is it that she's going to be able to replicate that next time. Let's look at another scenario where I amp it up just a little bit. So Elizabeth, I just want to thank you, great job on that project last week. - Oh thanks, I worked really hard on that. - You know, I know you did, and there was a moment where the client took out that summary sheet and her whole face just lit up. She smiled and she said, "Oh my gosh, "I've never seen anything this clear." She said, "It's going to make my job so much easier." - Wow, that's awesome feedback. You know I really wanted to make it easy for them to understand what we could do. - You know and they did, you sat right there at your desk, you had never met them, and yet you created something. I wish you had been there with us in that moment, and could have seen how excited she was. - That's awesome. - Well, I want you in the moment next time because next time we go, next week, I want to take you because they want to meet you and they want to thank you in person. - Awesome, I'll be there. - That's great. The second time, the feedback was much more specific. I described the impact that her work had on an individual person, I included more emotional details. I talked about how the client responded. Now Elizabeth is going to remember that much more. That's the story she's going to repeat to her friends. She knows that she had a positive impact, and she's going to want to do more of that. That's what I want for her, and that's what I want for our company.