Why giving Feed-forward is more powerful than feedback. And, how to do it well!
According to a meta-analysis study feedback can have a detrimental impact on performance in certain circumstances.
Did you know that some research suggest that feedback has no, or possible negative consequences on future performance?
Yet, feedback is common place in workplaces and our lives.
Often this is because the feedback we're give is too vague, ill-informed or fails to actually help us uncover where improvement can be made.
At Human Leaders we use a concept called 'Feed-forward' instead. Feed-forward is more of a coaching opportunity, rather than a performance management one.
Feed-forward is distinctly different from feedback, because it:
Focuses on future opportunity, rather than past outcomes
Is advice-centred, rather than performance appraising
Is a collaborative approach, rather than top-down
In essence it's about recognising what went well, and appraising what options exist to do things differently in the future, together.
So, how do you do feed-forward effectively?
Here's some tips for doing feed-forward well:
Bring a coaches mindset — feed-forward isn't about telling, it's about uncovering ideas and empowering people to come to their own growth moments.
Lean into your experience, and offer advice — good coaches observe and offer tips for improvement, based on experience and expertise.
Follow up, stay accountable — take time to revisit the feed-forward to reflect on where progress is being made, and support is still needed.
Supporting your team members to feel an empowered sense of agency over the outcomes they achieve in the workplace, isn't only motivating, it's deeply meaningful and shows you recognise their capacity for growth.
