In association with Machwuerth Team International
Feedback is essentially just information that if used within a structured system can improve performance or process and increase awareness. It can concern individuals, small groups or even entire departments and companies.
It is important to distinguish between positive and negative feedback. While positive feedback reinforces existing patterns of desirable behavior and habits, negative feedback can be very risky. It can lead to unpredictable changes of behaviour and even a worsening of the original problem.
Where can feedback systems help?
Feedback systems enable a manager to recognise signals at an early stage and allow leaders to develop scenarios for dealing with problems. Feedback can help to design both goals and measures so that development with regular and continuous assessment of the current position can be implemented in a team environment.
Feedback Tools for Soft Skills
The wide range of tools that can be used to measure soft skills include customer surveys, employee surveys, analysis of management and employee potential, assessments, management style analyses, team feedback plus individual development and goal setting interviews.The quality management system should also be prepared for systematic troubleshooting as well as corresponding corrections and improvements from the perspective of a Continuous Improvement Process.
Structuring of Data
In most cases, the chosen tools produce a large quantity of data that requires handling before it can be used.A key requirement is the implementation of a management information system to structure the data. This involves the translation and standardisation of the data that should preferably contain as few variables as possible; it is important for a company to focus on specific information in an employee survey, such as detailed analysis of management style or targeting a specific feedback group. Any system must be tailored to fit the company that is using it.
Dealing with Data
The information produced by feedback systems is only useful if shared with employees. Results that are only seen and interpreted by managers are entirely useless. Measured data needs be reviewed by the team.Transparency is the only way optimisation is possible. It is best if every man- ager compiles an overview of performance data for his/her own area of responsibility that is then discussed on a monthly basis with the entire team. It should be routine to analyse potential errors and discuss preventive and protective measures. These meetings should also be used to review and measure specific issues, e.g. the processing of errors, individual development and goal setting interviews.
It is highly recommended that a company also holds an annual conference to evaluate the cumulative results from all feedback tools for each manager’s own area. Following the annual meeting, measures can be formulated and their implementation can be planned. The results of this conference can again be used by smaller teams to compare with their interim development. An additional quarterly reflection on the state of development is also advisable.
Any feedback system implemented can be further enhanced with the aid of an Information Technology tool that systematically records the activities and tracks planned and adopted measures, possibly listed according to fields of action, person responsible and measured results of feedback.
