Practical Coach: Management Skills for Everyday Life, The

Giving and Receiving Feedback

Simply stated, feedback is “any information that answers the question 'How am I doing?'”^[21] At its best, feedback answers employees' questions, sets clear expectations, reduces uncertainty, encourages desired behaviors, helps employees learn new skills, enhances employee performance, and is a necessary part of coaching.

Researchers have found that although receiving feedback is an important developmental opportunity, managers often resist giving feedback. A conference board study found that 60 percent of the U.S. and European companies that participated in the study “identified improper or insufficient performance feedback [as] a primary cause of deficient performance.”^[22] Why do managers resist giving feedback? ...