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82 unit 2 | Working Within the Organization CikguOnline
For many patients, a written preoperative and/or the most productive and encourages continua-
postoperative teaching guide helps to clarify the tion of those behaviors.
instructions. ■ Discourages unproductive behavior.
Correction of inappropriate behavior begins
Feedback with provision of negative feedback.
■ Provides recognition. The power of praise
Why Do People Need Feedback? (positive feedback) to motivate people is under-
In good weather, Herbert usually played basketball estimated.
with his kids after dinner. Yesterday, however, he ■ Develops employee skills. Feedback helps peo-
told them he was too tired. This evening, he said the ple identify their strengths and weaknesses and
same thing.When they urged him to play anyway, he guides them in seeking opportunities to further
snapped at them and told them to leave him alone. develop their strengths and manage their weak-
“Herbert!” his wife exclaimed, “Why did you do nesses (Rosen, 1996).
that?”
Guidelines for Providing Feedback
“I don’t know,” he responded. “I’m just so tense
these days. My annual review was supposed to be Done well, evaluative feedback can reinforce moti-
today, but my nurse manager was out sick. I have no vation, strengthen teamwork, and improve the
idea what she is going to say. I can’t think about quality of care given.When done poorly, evaluation
anything else.” can reinforce poor work habits, increase insecurity,
and destroy motivation and morale (Table 6-3).
Had Herbert’s nurse manager been providing infor-
Evaluation involves making judgments and
mal feedback to staff on a regular basis, Herbert
communicating these judgments to others. People
would have known his rating. He would have had a
make judgments all the time about all types of
good idea about what his strengths and weaknesses
things. Unfortunately, these judgments are often
were and would not be afraid of an unpleasant sur-
based on opinions, preferences, and inaccurate or
prise during the review. He would also be looking
partial information.
forward to the opportunity to review his accom-
Subjective, biased judgment offered as objective
plishments and make plans with his manager for
feedback has given evaluation a bad name. Poorly
further developing his skills. He still would have
communicated feedback has an equally negative
been disappointed that she was unavailable, but he
effect. Many people who are uncomfortable with
would not have been as distressed by it.
evaluation have been recipients of subjective,
The process of giving and receiving evaluative
biased, or poorly communicated evaluations.
feedback is an essential leadership responsibility.
Evaluative feedback is most effective when
Done well, it is very helpful, promoting growth and
given immediately, frequently, and privately. To be
increasing employee satisfaction. Done poorly, as in
constructive, it must be objective, based on
Herbert’s case, it can be stressful, even injurious.
observed behavior, and skillfully communicated.
This section considers the do’s and don’t’s of giving
The feedback message should include the reasons
and receiving feedback, how to share positive and
negative evaluative comments with coworkers, and
how people can respond constructively when they
table 6-3
receive negative comments.
We all need feedback because it is difficult for us Do’s and Don’t’s of Providing Feedback
to see ourselves as others see us. Curiously, compe- Do Don’t
tent people generally underestimate their ability Include positive comments Focus only on the negative
and focus on their shortcomings, and incompetent Be objective Let personalities intrude
people generally fail to recognize their incompe- Be specific when correcting Be vague
tence (Channer & Hope, 2001). The following are someone
just a few of the reasons that evaluative feedback is Treat everyone the same Play favorites
so important: Correct people in private Correct people in front of
others
■ Reinforces constructive behavior. Positive
Adapted from Gabor, D. (1994). Speaking Your Mind in 101 Difficult
feedback lets people know which behaviors are Situations. N.Y.: Stonesong Press (Simon & Schuster).