Delivering clear and constructive feedback

John Boney

The most important part to get right with Carefrontation is creating a feedback loop that actually has an impact. There are two really big issues with feedback delivery that occur in most organizations.

It either, A, gets delivered too harsh where it’s impossible to hear where growth can be achieved because it just sounds like criticism. Or, B, it’s delivered with kid gloves and the person who needs to grow thinks things are fine because it wasn’t clear what needed to change.

Feedback needs to be a loop where everyone is pushing forward and to growth. The last thing you want is to get stagnant and unable to grow. That’s why it’s important to create environments and systems that rely on strong feedback. Here are some ways that you can impact this at various levels:

Sales Executives: Set the tone for feedback culture. Encourage a two-way feedback loop where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts.

Front-Line Sales Managers: Use specific examples when giving feedback. Focus on behaviors and outcomes, not personal attributes. This is where Carefrontation takes us to a place of growth. Managers need to get really great at delivering this kind of information, so really get specific. Your job is to help your team improve, and you need to take that seriously. I know our team is happy to help talk through what this looks like, so comment or PM someone from Force Management if you’re not sure how to take these steps.

Account Managers: Provide clients with candid feedback about their strategies and expectations. This helps in setting realistic goals and achieving better results.

How do you implement feedback? Is it something that comes naturally for you? Share in the comments what level you’re at and how you’re making an impact on your environment.