The Differences Between Negative Feedback & Positive Feedback Methods
by Bridgette Redman, Demand Media
Feedback is an important managerial tool.
An important part of a manager's job is
delivering feedback to employees. Feedback helps to improve performance, ensure
standards are met and communicate important business objectives. Feedback is a
form of ongoing training as it helps employees learn what it is they are
supposed to do and how they are supposed to do it. Feedback comes in two
primary forms, both of which can be helpful and productive. These forms are
positive feedback and negative feedback.
Negative Feedback
Negative feedback is the process of
pointing out what someone is doing poorly and telling him how to change it. It
also can involve telling a person that the attitude he is displaying is
inappropriate or that certain behaviors and habits are causing problems. A
manager can deliver negative feedback whether the employee's actions are
intentional or not. A 2009 Gallup poll found that employees receiving negative
feedback were more than 20 times likely to be engaged than those who received
no feedback at all.
Positive Feedback
Positive feedback works on the premise
of building on a person's strengths. It tells an employee what he is doing well
and praises him for good performance. The theory behind positive feedback is
that if you a tell a person what he is doing well, that person will likely
repeat the behavior to secure continued approval. Managers can give positive
feedback in both a formal manner, such as in a performance evaluation, or
informally, such as a comment made during the workday that praises work done. A
2009 Gallup poll found that employees receiving positive feedback were 30 times
more likely to feel engaged than those receiving no feedback at all.
Appropriate Times for Each
Most experts encourage managers to use
positive feedback more often than negative feedback. Managers who make a habit
of dispensing positive feedback throughout the work week are likely to have
more motivated employees who perform with confidence and autonomy. However,
negative feedback is a highly effective tool for correcting problems or bad
behaviors and attitudes. It is sometimes necessary to point out when something
is being done incorrectly to give the employee the opportunity to fix it. When
possible, give positive feedback in public and negative feedback in private.
Sandwich Method
The sandwich method of feedback
suggests that managers sandwich negative comment between two pieces of positive
feedback. Using this method, a manager would begin a conversation by telling
the employee something that he is doing well or something that the manager
appreciates about him. She then delivers the negative feedback and follows it
up with additional positive feedback, such as expressing confidence in the
employee's ability to change the source of the negative feedback. The drawback
to habitual use of the sandwich method is that employees start to treat
positive feedback suspiciously because they are waiting for the negative
feedback that follows
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