As you continue to grow as a leader both within and beyond Chick-fil-A, the ability to share constructive and valuable feedback is something that can set you part as a leader. Most of us don't like to be the source of negativity or be the one who is always sharing criticism, but if you can master these 5 principles of feedback, not only will you become an expert truth teller, but people will begin to seek you out to get your feedback to help them develop and grow.
1. Create Safety - Anytime you share feedback it is important to create a safe environment for the one receiving the feedback. Three ways in which to do that is to first practice humility. Always remember that we all have opportunities to grow and no one is perfect. This mindset will help put people at ease knowing that you realize your own opportunities for development. Also, ask for permission. If people have given you permission to share feedback, they will obviously be more willing to hear what you have to say. Finally, share feedback in private as to not embarrass an individual in front of their peers.
2. Be positive - The goal of sharing feedback is growth, not to make other feel bad for what they've done. It's a good practice to lead the conversation with what is going well, then sharing what needs to be improved. Finally, paint a positive picture of the future if someone were to change their behaviors based on your feedback.
3. Be specific - Share specific examples of how people can improve. Don't be generic and always take the time to share the "why." If people understand why their specific behaviors can have a negative impact on others, the guest, or the business, they are more inclined to changed their behaviors moving forward.
4. Be timely - Don't wait until it's too late to share feedback. Often times within the same day or even with hours is appropriate. If we wait days or even weeks, then we risk the feedback no longer being relevant or even memorable to the one receiving the feedback.
5. Be supportive - Remember your goal in sharing feedback is to help people develop and grow. Make sure that you are supporting others by providing clear expectations of behavior, the proper training of skills, the necessary resources to succeed , and ultimately holding them accountable to their actions with appropriate consequences.
If you can focus on mastering these 5 principles, you can become an expert in sharing feedback and valuable leader and team player!
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