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How can a manager prove to their employee that they're accepting honest feedback?
Many people I know are hesitant to offer their management teams truly honest feedback. How can a manager help shake the employee's assumption that honest or critical feedback will get them fired? How can a manager prove that they're willing and able to accept honest feedback?
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4 Answers
You can say it all you want but employees are unlikely to believe it. You have to prove it.
A good place to start is with a discussion with employees (or groups if you manage a large number) of a mistake or issue and how you believe your actions or in-actions helped lead to the error. When you are willing to analyze your own performance and accept the responsibility for your mistakes, then others see you as an honest person who can learn from their mistakes. Ask for suggestions of ways you could have improved your own performance. And for heaven's sake don't make excuses. There may some concrete reasons for certain problems that can be explained.
There will almost always be at least one person who will speak up and by listening to what they have to say and thanking them without a personal attack or firing or demoting them, you will begin to create a level of trust with your employees. If appropriate you can always ask for any supporting data if there is any so that it can be reviewed.
At my work we do something called "Carefrontation", which means that if there is any problem or feedback that needs to be given it can be given at any time to anyone in the office. I think the best way to ensure that feedback is genuine is to give it back right away, so you don't have the time to conjure up a lie really. This "Carefrontation" model must be ingrained in workplace culture in order to work properly of course. That does take some time, but if you share with others that it is happening, then more and more people will become more comfortable with doing it. When I first started, I wouldn't dream of going up to the most senior person in the office to give feedback because I was new, but now that I've seen Carefrontation first hand numerous times, even between recruiters and Vice Presidents, I am comfortable going to just about anyone in the office, because when it just sits and festers, things will inevitably get much worse and just start to poison the environment.
By acting on it in a non-defensive manner. People may be naive when it comes to the protocols for making recommendations in their places of work, but they shouldn't be treated with exasperation, eye-rolling, or deep sighs when they do.
I had a boss once who always said, "I know that" whenever I suggested something. It didn't take long for me to stop saying anything to him.
And, of course, just because employees stop making suggestions doesn't mean they stop talking: about the failure to listen and general ineptitude of managers.
If a receptive audience can't be found with your boss, then there's always your colleagues who will give a sympathetic ear.
Gail made a great point around sharing a situation that you made errors. This will show the team that no one is immune to misteps and as a team we can work through it. That along with Bruce's comment that feedback needs to be received openly. Don't roll your eyes, say that you know that, etc. Even if you do know, just asked them "Tell me more about that".
The last piece I would add is that you provide a response. Employees are used to the usual "Great feedback everyone. We will review all of this and work it into the plans." Then employees never see it, here about it, etc. Make sure you call it out.."We are going to improve process X based on some of the feedback from John." For those folks you couldn't take their feedback, stop by their cubicle or call them to your office. Tell them you appreciate their feedback and the idea was good, but it isn't in the budget or systems limitations prevent us from implementing it. It lets them know you actually thought about their ideas.
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