Developing Future Leaders with Brian French

Quotes:

“Effective feedback from an FM manager drives the FM culture. It strengthens the morale of the organization, and it provides an opportunity to showcase performance achievements and provides a framework for discussions about areas where performance needs to be improved.” – Stormy Friday, (13:14)

“If you think about it, we don’t perform annually, we perform daily. So why would it make sense to have an annual performance? Effective feedback has to be frequent. While it may not necessarily have to be daily, there should be opportunities for feedback on a regular basis.” – Stormy Friday, (18:22)

“We talked about the quiet quitters needing feedback, but so do the good performers. They need to be praised when they’ve done something well and when the manager has received [good] feedback from a customer or client.” – Stormy Friday, (28:14)

“When I was managing large organizations, I would say, ‘Remember my door is open, but when you come in, you must have options for me to consider.’ That’s how you grow and develop. I think people in FM are afraid of retribution, but it goes back to the organization’s culture and the fact that effective feedback is a dialogue.” – Stormy Friday, (41:52)

The Gift of Effective Feedback

On this episode of FM Evolution, hosts Shawn Black and Randy Olson were joined by Stormy Friday, the president of The Friday Group, a woman-owned facilities management consulting firm. With over forty years of experience in the FM industry, Stormy has gained international recognition and lectured at FM conferences in over thirty countries. In this episode, Shawn, Randy, and Stormy discussed the best practices for giving and receiving feedback, when it’s the right time to ask for constructive criticism, and how to navigate situations where people receive feedback negatively.

When and How to Provide Feedback

According to HR experts, the best time to give and receive feedback is immediately after some kind of event, whether it’s a positive or negative experience. However, part of the feedback process depends on the level of sophistication of the work group receiving the feedback. Meaning if they’re a team who works together often or individuals who work remotely, the approach to providing feedback will be different. Typically, in team environments where collaboration and communication happen often, the feedback process is the most efficient and successful.

“If you think about it, we don’t perform annually, we perform daily. So why would it make sense to have an annual performance? Effective feedback has to be frequent. While it may not necessarily have to be daily, there should be opportunities for feedback on a regular basis.” – Stormy Friday, (18:22)

Unfortunately, a new phenomenon has cropped up as a result of remote work during the pandemic, which is quiet quitting. This is when a team member essentially gives up, as in they are still employed, but they’re not engaged anymore. In this instance, routine feedback is critical to keeping remote employees engaged. On the flip side, there’s also been an increase in quiet firing where managers know they don’t have the skill of giving effective feedback, and they hope members of their staff will leave instead of fixing problems in the workplace.

The Dos and Don’ts of Giving Feedback

When it comes to the fundamental skills needed to provide adequate feedback, the best way to improve is to actively make an effort to give feedback. The more you practice, the better you will be at it. A part of effective leadership is making sure you have a pulse on what’s happening with your staff. Furthermore, ensuring you have all the facts will assist you in giving appropriate feedback. Oftentimes, when people hear the word feedback, it’s taken as unfavorable. While, yes, there are situations of constructive criticism, feedback also comes in the form of recognizing a job well done.

“We talked about the quiet quitters needing feedback, but so do the good performers. They need to be praised when they’ve done something well and when the manager has received [good] feedback from a customer or client.” – Stormy Friday, (28:14)

Moreover, when feedback is given, it needs to be productive and precise, so it comes off as genuine, advantageous, and ultimately positive for both parties. It’s important to avoid giving sandwich feedback. This is when managers have something negative to say and they start off with praise, then say what’s wrong, then switch back to something that’s praiseworthy. The problem with this is that nobody leaves the situation remembering the positive accolades—all they hear is what they’re doing poorly. When feedback is presented in a more compelling manner, it can be one of the best developmental exercises a manager can have with their team because it provides a healthy way to approach poor performance.

“Effective feedback from an FM manager drives the FM culture. It strengthens the morale of the organization, and it provides an opportunity to showcase performance achievements and provides a framework for discussions about areas where performance needs to be improved.” – Stormy Friday, (13:14)