Avoiding the Unintended Consequences of Casual Feedback

• Posted by GAFM AFRICA October 23, 2017 - Filed in Business - #project manager  - 2,146 views

  A few years ago, a renowned consumer web company founder/CEO shared the following anecdote: One of the company's product teams had been working around the clock for weeks in order to hit a critical launch date. During the final product review, the CEO casually remarked that he would have preferred one of the key design elements to have appeared in a different color. Thinking nothing of it, he moved on with the review.

  A few weeks later, when the CEO pressed the team on why they were going to miss their launch date, they explained they had put everything on hold to re-design the product so that the color was to his liking. His response was essentially, "You did what?!"

  The CEO's informal observation -- unbeknownst to him -- had been interpreted as an all-hands on deck exercise that ground the launch to a halt.

  While perhaps not always as extreme as this example, practically all managers have experienced a similar dynamic; the more senior your role, the more likely it is to occur. While it can be particularly acute with less experienced managers who are not yet accustomed to their newly acquired authority, it can be just as prevalent in long-tenured executives who simply forget how long a shadow their seniority casts over the organization.

  Years ago, a former direct report of mine helped bring this point home. While he and his team welcomed my input, he observed that oftentimes what I thought was a take-it-or-leave-it remark would create a massively disruptive fire drill. Up until that moment, I had no idea my opinion was being weighted so heavily.

  To address the issue and to ensure that the team and I were on the same page with regard to situations like that, we developed three categories to describe any feedback I provided (either in conversation or via email): One person's opinion, strong suggestion, or mandate.

  The system proved to be so helpful, I've used it ever since. It has helped me communicate more effectively across all levels of the organization, especially with newer employees who may not be calibrated to my feedback style or frequency.

  One person's opinion (OPO)

  The vast majority of feedback I provide falls into the category of one person's opinion (OPO). Essentially, this is a subjective, anecdotal opinion where the input is to be treated as coming from just one user/customer/member of the team. After communicated, it's completely up to the person responsible for the initiative as to whether or not they act on the advice.

  When providing OPO, your title and authority should not enter into the equation. Note, this is easier said than done as it may take some time before more junior members of the team realize you are genuinely comfortable with them challenging the guidance of a senior leader.

  Given that the team will have its own strong beliefs (which is ideally what led them to develop what you are reviewing to begin with), is busy with a multitude of other potentially higher priorities, and is much closer to the specifics (and costs) of making the changes you proposed, be prepared for them to disregard your suggestions as often as they act upon them. If it truly is just one person's opinion, and you've got the right talent in place, that should be just fine.

  Strong suggestion

  One notch up from OPO is the "strong suggestion." This is more than one person's opinion, but still falls short of telling the team what to do.

  The strong suggestion is typically used when a senior executive seeks to draw upon his or her experience, yet provide the team the space to take risks, make mistakes, hone their instincts, and ultimately scale the process by which key decisions are made within the company.

  Successfully providing feedback this way requires you to trust the people you've empowered to have the final say. At the same time, it requires the team to maintain an open-mind and, if need be, defer to your better judgement. On both ends, it requires the subjugation of egos for the sake of doing what's best for the company.

  If that sounds like a difficult balance to strike, that's because it is.

  Mandate

  As important as it is to allow the team to take risks, make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes, inevitably there will come a time when the consequences of poor judgement might prove so harmful, you need to proactively prevent the damage from being done.

  Put another way, if you want to teach someone about the perils of driving drunk, you don't wait for them to have a few drinks and then get behind the wheel so they can learn from experience.

  As a manager, it's up to you to determine how material the risk is of a team moving forward on a decision you disagree with, and ensure that if there is potential for lasting harm to the individual, the team, and/or the company, you take the proper steps to intervene and educate them later.

  Issuing mandates when it makes sense can pay huge dividends by enabling the company to avoid prohibitively costly mistakes. However, issue them too often or without the right justification and there is no faster way to signal your lack of trust and demotivate the team. Try to use this category sparingly (if at all).

  Photo: Marie C Fields / shutterstock

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