I just read the story of the NASA engineer in Houston who took a man’s life and then his own on Friday, April 20; because he had received feedback that indicated his performance was not up to standard. At first I was in disbelief over such a dramatic reaction to the feedback, but then I started thinking about the many conversations I have had with clients when they receive negative feedback about their performance, and the impact it has on them, depending on the way it was delivered by their boss.
For the most part, what I’ve witnessed and experienced in performance reviews is that bad news is delivered in a bad fashion. My theory is that the person delivering the bad news is just as uncomfortable as the person about to receive it and thus awkwardly and poorly (after having put it off for months) blurt it out in a somewhat harsh manner. Or worse send it in e-mail, where who knows who has been blind copied or whether it’s now considered a formal reprimand! Sound familiar?
As a leader everything you do has a significant impact on the people around you. Especially when you are coaching people, asking them to step up, change the way they are used to working or correcting them for mistakes. It is always best to first present your case verbally before delivering it via e-mail or in written format. Always consider in advance what will be the best way to deliver the news and ask your confidant for feedback on your thoughts.
One of my clients has an excellent way of presenting really bad news when, on occasion, it is required. He simply states, “There is no easy way to say this, so I’m going to come right out and tell you what I have learned and what needs to happen going forward”. He delivers feedback immediately, is completely empathetic with the person’s situation, yet also firm in his role as President of his company and the responsibilities that he must adhere to in order to chaperone his organization to success.
They say feedback is the breakfast of champions — engaged employees long for it. As a leader, be mindful that you give it regularly, keep it balanced between positive and corrective and know that it makes a big impact on the people who are receiving it from you!
