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Regular feedback and DiSC® Assessments keep teams on the fast track to achievement

Nature provides feedback immediately. Imagine if there were a lag between grabbing a hot object and feeling its heat. We’d be toasted by the time the pain signal arrived.

Giving regular feedback is nature’s way of keeping things on track. But we often forget to do this at work. And delayed feedback has a huge price tag attached to it.

Today’s article will show how to share regular feedback and Assessments with your employees to help them perform best at work.

The Problem with Traditional Feedback Mechanism

The dynamics of work have evolved drastically in the last few decades. But unfortunately, the science of feedback has not advanced accordingly.

There still are countless organizations that are still sticking to the prehistoric systems of writing and maintaining annual performance reports – without any other formal or informal system of giving and receiving feedback.

There are several problems with using this traditional method of managing your employees’ performance. Here are a few of them:

  1. It lets employees keep on making the same mistakes until the following year
  2. It’s unable to recognize and encourage employees for the right behaviors
  3. It places too much power on the manager’s side
  4. It doesn’t allow for engagement and innovation from employees

Now, in a post-COVID world, employees are working either remotely or in a hybrid arrangement. This has magnified the problems for organizations that are still using the annual review, without a proper feedback system in place.

Setting Up a Result-Oriented Feedback Mechanism

Now that we know the importance of having a robust, frequent feedback system, it’s time to hand you a list of top considerations while conceptualizing a feedback system for your organization.

  • Broaden their view – When employees know where they stand and what they need to do to reach their goals, organizations thrive. This is exactly what your feedback system should provide.
  • Make it regular – Feedback should be provided on a regular basis, such as part of your weekly meetings. Consistency is the key here.
  • Don’t miss any opportunity – Feedback shouldn’t just be given when a colleague needs to be redirected. Give feedback when someone does a job well. Include strengths and development opportunities.
  • Use both formal and informal channels – If an employee does a good job, don’t wait for a form that you’ll fill out to record his achievement, or a regularly scheduled meeting. Use informal channels like encouraging him right then and there or inviting him for a cup of coffee so you can you share your thoughts about his recent performance.
  • Be specific – Vague feedback confuses people. Tell them what exactly they did and what impact that particular behavior had on their performance. They can use this information to refer to in the future.
  • Customize to make it relatable – Package your feedback in a way that is relatable to your employees. To do that, you’ll need to know their personality traits and their personal preferences. This can be done effectively using the Everything DiSC® profiles that include every single shade of their personalities. (We’ll talk more about DiSC® shortly.)
  • One-way feedback isn’t feedback – Make feedback a two-way communication. Ask what each team member needs from you and ask them for feedback on how you are managing them. This will create a healthy dialog and their performance will improve significantly.

Effective Feedback Using DiSC® Assessments

It’s hard to make someone understand anything you say until you speak a language they understand. Similarly, when giving feedback, be aware of their DiSC® personality type and shape your feedback so they can relate effortlessly.

Here are a few points to remember when giving feedback and reviewing assessments for your employees, according to their DiSC® profile:

When giving feedback to the ‘D’ style:

  • Keep it succinct and direct. You’ll lose their attention otherwise.
  • Offer suggestions and allow them to share their viewpoint.

When giving feedback to the ‘i’ style:

  • Give them negative feedback privately as they value their social position more than others.
  • Don’t rush them through it. Explain your observations and give them the opportunity to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas.

‘S’ Style in Workplace Conflict

  • Be specific with feedback and provide concrete examples.
  • Give them time to digest the feedback, and offer to discuss it again, after they have had time to think about it.

‘C’ Style in Workplace Conflict

  • Use concrete figures and show them the potential results they can achieve if they work on the areas that need improvement.
  • Give them time to think about your feedback and ask them what they need from you to implement any changes.

Balance is key

Now that you know how to provide feedback to all your employees, based on their personality type, use this knowledge to always customize your feedback. This will help you save time in making them understand your concerns and get their attention immediately.

To make the most out of the Everything DiSC® assessments for a significant improvement in your feedback systems, head over to our website Disc Profiles 4U to explore our wide range of DiSC® assessment options, or simply contact us by clicking here.