The Worst Kind of Feedback? No Feedback at All

Hey employer, cat got your tongue?

A study of 20,000 workers by professor Christine Porath of Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business found that employees weren’t getting enough feedback at work. This is despite the fact that higher levels of feedback are associated with 89% greater thriving at work, 63% more engagement and 79% higher job satisfaction.

Another study by Gallup out in April revealed that employee engagement in the United States has fallen to its lowest point in over 10 years. And this isn’t because workers received too little time off, weren’t being paid well or were forced to physically show up at the office. Instead, they indicated that they felt less connected to their employer’s mission or purpose and that no one at work cares about them.

“Employees need to know that their contribution matters and managers need to be invested in their success,” said Rita Meyerson, an organizational psychologist and principal researcher at The Conference Board.

Mind you, some well-respected individuals like Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall argue that the value of feedback is minimal. As they wrote in the Harvard Business Review article "The Feedback Fallacy": "Feedback is about telling people what we think of their performance and how they should do it better — whether they’re giving an effective presentation, leading a team or creating a strategy. And on that, the research is clear: Telling people what we think of their performance doesn’t help them thrive and excel, and telling people how we think they should improve actually hinders learning."

The experiences of workers and practitioners, as well as experts we interviewed suggest otherwise. Feedback matters.

What a Difference the Right Feedback Makes

Consider the real-life experience of Lauren Evans, company manager at Ballet Hispánico. She was negotiating a contract alongside colleagues and union representatives when, during a break, the dance company’s legal counsel quietly pulled her aside and suggested that things might go better if she spoke less and listened more. "I wasn’t leaving much space for them (other participants) to be heard," said Evans, noting that the feedback she received has served as a guidepost ever since.

It’s worth mentioning that Evans wasn’t embarrassed or ashamed that she received guidance to course correct. “I was thankful. Things went much better after that,” she said.

At least some credit is due to the culture at Ballet Hispánico. “We have an environment where feedback is promoted as a mechanism for ongoing education and skills advancement,” said Eduardo Vilaro, artistic director and CEO of Ballet Hispánico.

In a different scenario when Jeff Wetzler, co-CEO of Transcend Education, was first out of college, he was reamed out by his then boss for asking a question without first looking for the answer himself. While Wetzler now admits that he should have been more respectful of his boss’s time, he also added that he never repeated that particular mistake again.

Actionable Feedback, Delivered With Empathy

Wetzler’s own approach toward feedback is different. "Feedback offers so many opportunities, but it is better delivered with empathy and showing that you care. It should include something actionable," he said. In other words, you wouldn’t tell a colleague whose memo is too long, "this memo sucks." Instead, you might offer that the information might be better conveyed via bullet points.

Transcend Education uses a feedback tool called the 2x2 with which managers and staff members (or two staff members) provide feedback on each other. Two-by-twos are structured to look at behaviors across two dimensions — the behavior itself, and its impact. They highlight what's working, what's not and what's missing.

“They (2x2s) force people to get things out. It’s best to be as direct as possible” said Wetzler. They can happen both periodically and/or whenever an employee asks for one. Wetzler recalled a time when an employee unexpectedly invited him for a 2x2 to thank him for the project their team had been given but to call him out on not offering enough support. As a leader Wetzler appreciated his employee’s invitation for a 2x2. "CEOs rarely get feedback and, if they don’t, they should ask for it," he said. "We should assume that people have valuable feedback to offer."

This kind of thinking falls in line with the theme of Wetzler’s new book, "Ask: Tap Into the Hidden Wisdom of People Around You for Unexpected Breakthroughs In Leadership and Life." In it he points out that valuable feedback and insight can often come from the sources you least expect — the people around us. By listening to them, we gain smarter decision-making abilities, creative problem-solving skills and stronger connections.

SMART Feedback

Of course, 2x2s are hardly the only feedback tools that today’s employers use. Meyerson has seen larger companies lean toward the SMART feedback method which can be used annually, periodically or as appropriate. SMART, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound, helps ensure that feedback is constructive, fair, actionable and focused on enabling positive change and growth.

For example, a director might tell a project manager something like this:

Specific: “I want to discuss your recent project presentation. Overall, you did a great job of outlining the project's progress and key milestones. However, I noticed that some of the data you presented lacked clarity, particularly in the financial projections section."
Measurable: "In future presentations, it would be helpful if you could provide more specific data points and use visual aids such as charts or graphs to illustrate the financial projections."
Achievable: "I believe with some practice and refinement you can y improve the clarity and effectiveness of your presentations. Let's work together to identify some strategies and resources that can help you develop these skills."
Relevant: "Improving your presentation skills is crucial for your role, as clear communication is essential for keeping the team informed and aligned with our project goals. It will also enhance your professional development and future opportunities within the team."
Time-bound: "Let's set a goal to implement these improvements in your next project update presentation, which is scheduled for two weeks from now. This will give you time to prepare and incorporate the feedback we've discussed."

“By structuring feedback using SMART, employees know what to focus on, how to improve, when to implement the changes and deliver,” said Meyerson. She made it clear that SMART, though highly structured, is also a constructive conversation conducive to personal and professional development.

When It Comes to Feedback Methods, You've Got Options

It goes without saying that each of these methods has their critics. But there are countless others to choose from. Among them:

FBI (Feelings, Behavior, Impact): You objectively state observed behaviors, explain their impact, then inquire about the other person's perspective. The idea is to focus on consequences rather than personal criticism.

SSC (Start, Stop, Continue): You first highlight what someone's doing well (Start), then areas for improvement (Stop), and finally suggest new actions (Continue). This structure is meant to keep things clear and actionable.

CIP (Context, Intent, Perception): First objectively describe the specific context or situation. Next, state the perceived intent behind the other person's actions in that context. Then explain how their behavior was actually perceived by others and its impact. The aim is to separate observations from interpretations while accounting for potential positive intentions, ultimately fostering mutual understanding.

Some employers standardize on one specific method while others pick one, two or none at all. Others rely on a combination of digital employee experience tools, pulse surveys, annual reviews, and so on .… While Meyerson hesitated to pick one method or tool over another without context, she asserted one thing: "Feedback matters.”

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