"I really liked how you interacted with the audience, and the examples you used were spot on. Plus, your introduction was really strong, which helped get everyone interested from the start."
"However, you missed out some key information about our after-sales service, and I didn't like how you rushed through the last few slides. So I think you have some things to work on for next time."
If you received this feedback, chances are that you'd be feeling downcast, despite the fact that there were more compliments than criticisms.
Most of us realize on an instinctual level that there's a point at which negative feedback can damage productivity. What's surprising is that there is actually scientific evidence – The Losada Ratio – that backs this up.
In this article we'll look at the Losada Ratio, and we'll show you how you can use the idea behind it to help your people perform better.
About the Tool
The Losada Ratio (also known as the Positivity/Negativity Ratio) was identified by psychologist Marcial Losada in 1999.
The ratio represents the number of positive interactions with an individual, divided by the number of negative interactions, measured over a period of time. As an example, if you made five positive comments for every negative comment you made when talking with a team member, your Losada Ratio would be 5:1.
The idea behind the ratio is that the more positive interactions people have, the better they'll perform. Losada and fellow psychologist Barbara Fredrickson found that people are most likely to perform well when the ratio is 2.9:1 or greater (more than 2.9 positive interactions to every negative interaction). This is sometimes known as the "Losada Line."
Overall, Losada's research has shown that the larger the number of positive interactions that people (or teams) experience, the happier they'll feel emotionally, and the better they'll perform.
This is something that applies to friendships and relationships just as much as it does in the workplace!
How Positivity Boosts Performance
We all know that positive emotions and interactions are more pleasant to experience. But positivity brings many other benefits, too. For example, working in a positive environment:

Increases our attention span, because we're not distracted by negative thoughts.
Makes us more intuitive and creative, because we're not afraid to think in risky ways.
Helps us develop resilience, because we have more "mental capacity" to deal with problems.
Improves our physical health, because we're under less stress.

These benefits can all lead to better performance, which is why it's important to foster a positive attitude in your team.
Using the Tool
You can use the theory behind the Losada Ratio to create a more positive workplace for your team. You'll be well on your way to success if you can keep the ratio higher than 2.9:1 – in fact, some researchers recommend that you target 6:1!
To create a more positive environment, use the following strategies:
1. Manage Your Emotions
As a leader, your team looks to you for clues about how to behave. If you're having a terrible day, make sure that you don't take negative emotions out on your colleagues and your team.

Learn how to manage your emotions at work so you can interact with your team in a positive, professional way. Then teach these skills to your people, so that they behave professionally too!
2. Monitor Your Own Feedback
When giving feedback , it's important to give the right message. Make sure that you make plenty of positive comments (as long as they're sincere) when giving feedback, and, when appropriate, ensure that these significantly outweigh any negative messages.
A really good way of doing this is to practice "catching people doing things right" in the workplace (this is much easier to do if you routinely practice Management by Walking Around ).
And, when you're reviewing someone's work, spend time on what the person is doing well, in addition to the areas where they could improve.
3. Start (and End) Positively
As far as you can, try to start meetings and interactions off on a positive note. Ask people questions that encourage some kind of positive answer.
For instance, instead of immediately focusing on problems that need to be fixed, ask people to list things that are going well. Or, ask them to talk about something they accomplished during the week that they're proud of, or that they feel made a big difference.
If you subtly change the tone and energy in the room by starting interactions off on a positive note, the rest of the interaction is likely to stay on a positive note as well.

Note:
Remember that it's not just words that shape whether an interaction is positive or negative. Emotions such as gratitude, love, joy, satisfaction, curiosity, and creativity generate positivity, while boredom, anger or cynicism lead to negativity.

4. Build Confidence
Positive teams have confidence. So, try to build confidence in any team members if they're lacking it.
For instance, try giving low-confidence team members more autonomy in their work. The sense of empowerment that they can get from this can create positive feelings, and increase their confidence.
It's also important to celebrate people's successes. This not only helps build confidence, but it is also great for boosting morale!
5. Improve Motivation
One of the best ways to foster positivity is to motivate your team effectively. When your people feel motivated and are excited about what they're doing, their interactions are far more likely to be positive.
Take our " How Good are Your Motivation Skills?" test to find out how to build your skills in this area. It takes time and effort to learn how to motivate people, but it pays dividends many times over.
6. Help Your Team Connect
The more that your people can interact with each other positively, the stronger and happier your team will be. However, when people get busy, they can go for days without communicating with one another.
You can help members of your team connect with one-another by organizing regular team lunches, away days , and in-house team building activities.
You can also encourage your team to communicate using tools such as Instant Messaging , Twitter and LinkedIn . These can be great for answering questions with minimal disturbance, and for providing tips and advice.
7. Encourage Mutual Support
People don't have to offer compliments to be positive. Actions such as asking intelligent questions about an idea (without malice and without shooting the idea down) can count, as can advocating another person's viewpoint.
For instance, Losada found that people in high-performing teams spent time finding out about other team members' ideas, and provided plenty of support for those ideas.
Encourage people in your team to promote and advocate ideas they believe in. And make sure that they spend time understanding the work that their colleagues are doing.

Warning:
Sometimes you need to give people negative messages: problem behavior needs to be dealt with; bad ideas need to be addressed; and so on. Make good use of the Losada Ratio, but don't let it stop you dealing with important issues.
Also, if a behavior is particularly bad, don't feel that you have to make positive comments - this may muddle your feedback and reduce its impact. Just be prepared to support the person and rebuild his or her confidence once the lesson has been learned.


Key Points
The Losada Ratio was identified by psychologist Marcial Losada. It looks at the relationship between positive and negative interactions.
Losada's research found that the more positive interactions people have, the better they'll perform. In particular, he found that people were happiest and most effective when the ratio of positive to negative interactions exceeded 2.9:1.
One of the most effective ways to use the ratio is to work on creating a positive workplace for your people. You'll then naturally increase the instance of positive interactions within your team. Others include getting into the habit of "catching people doing things right;" starting and ending meetings positively; and encouraging team members to support one another.

Read more…

Susanne: Hi, thanks for meeting with me today.
As I mentioned, I wanted to talk with you about the construction
plan you submitted yesterday. As usual, the quality of the plan
was great. You definitely know what's expected by us and our
client, so I want to thank you for that.
Charles: Thanks, it's great to hear feedback like that.
Susanne: Well, I'm glad you feel that way. What I'm a bit more
concerned about, though, are the deadlines. You know that we build
in extra time between when you submit the plans to us and when we
actually present them to the client. However, I see that you often
take advantage of that extra time, and you delay submitting your
plans – they're sometimes up to a week late. This creates a
bottleneck at the engineering approval stage, and I'm starting to
hear about it. What can I do to get you back on track, so we
return to the more efficient process we had before?
Charles: I'm really sorry. I've been stressed at home lately, and
it doesn't help that Les, the new guy, comes to me with questions
all the time. Can you give me a week to focus on finishing the
plan I'm working on now? With fewer distractions and some time to
work out my problems, I know I'll get back on schedule.
Susanne: That's seems reasonable. Thank you for being honest. I'll
tell Les to ask Madeline for advice and suggestions for now. Let's
get together in a few days to discuss your progress.
This sounds like a "textbook" feedback exchange – just how it's
supposed to happen. Susanne expressed her concern, Charles
accepted the feedback, they agreed upon a solution, and they have
a date for follow-up.
However, while it seems ideal, we don't know how well it actually
worked. And if the results of many feedback sessions are any indication, there may be less positive change than we
would hope.
Have you ever been part of a conversation like that? Chances are
that you've observed that people (possibly yourself!) do one of two
things when receiving feedback:

They accept the negative part of the feedback, but try to explain it
or justify it (or decide that the person giving the feedback is
wrong, so the comments are dismissed entirely).
They focus on the positive, and use it to reinforce what they
already know to be true.

In either case, the feedback often fails to achieve the desired
result. Rather than starting the process of self-examination to
understand how their behavior needs to change, people continue to
do what they were doing before, without making any major shift or
correction.
The Matrix
The feedback matrix, as shown below, is a useful tool that helps with
self-exploration. It encourages you to examine both the positive
and negative aspects of feedback, and then connect the
comments back to what you already know about yourself, and what you
did not know and need to explore more fully.



 
Positive
Negative




Expected
 
 


Unexpected
 
 




Feedback generally falls into one of the categories in the matrix:

Positive/Expected – We often have a good idea of what we do
well, because we receive regular positive feedback about these things. But instead of simply hearing this familiar praise
and doing nothing with it, ask yourself:

How can I celebrate this aspect of myself?
How can I use this skill to improve my productivity or personal satisfaction?
How can I use the skill to help others who are not as strong?


Negative/Expected – If we're honest with ourselves, we're often
aware of some of the areas in our life that need improvement. If
our boss asks for a meeting, chances are we know and expect what
will be discussed. In fact, we're often more critical of ourselves
than others are, but we just don't know how to improve without
some help. To apply this expected feedback and make a positive
change, ask yourself:

What actions have I already taken to address this concern?
How successful were those actions?
What else do I need to examine and/or change to achieve the
results I want?
If I don't make these changes, how will this impact my
job or life?

Positive/Unexpected – Receiving positive feedback that we don't
expect is like a surprise birthday present. It creates a wonderful
feeling when we learn or hear something positive that was totally
unexpected. But after the initial joy, it's important to examine
this feedback further by asking yourself:

Why was I surprised to hear this?
What previous experiences might have caused me to forget or
dismiss this strength or ability?
How will I celebrate this newly discovered skill?
How can I use this skill to improve my life?

Negative/Unexpected – This feedback is the most difficult to
hear and understand. But it can also be the source of much
self-discovery, if we're open to it. This unexpected feedback
often comes from areas that we don't want to acknowledge, or
aren't prepared to face, and it can cause some strong emotions.
However, when we learn to deal with it, we can take big steps
forward on our journey of self-improvement. Some further questions
to explore include:

What other information do I need to make sense of the feedback?
What support do I need to deal with the implications?
What plan can I put in place to make small, achievable changes
in the short term?
How will improving this impact other areas of my job or life?



Download our


feedback matrix template to use this technique. When you give or receive feedback, use this matrix to improve your
experience – and your outcomes.

Key Points
Feedback is meant to be the first step toward change. Unfortunately, the
result is often too much or too little change, which doesn't help
you achieve your goals.
The Feedback Matrix helps you get the most
from any feedback session. It leads you to examine the negative
and positive aspects of the feedback, and ask yourself what you
did and did not expect. It challenges you to take advantage of the
expected positives, commit to working harder on the expected
negatives, celebrate the unexpected positives, and fully explore
the unexpected negatives. With this tool, you can use feedback
effectively to achieve significant, positive change.


Code for Worksheet button at bottom follows.
Download Worksheet

Thanks to Kathryn Jackson, a Life Coach and Mind Tools newsletter reader from New Zealand, for sharing this useful tool with us.

Read more…

When some people think about 360-degree evaluations they're
reminded of a classic body image exercise where you are told to
stand naked in front of a mirror and make an honest assessment of
yourself. It's a frightening task to say the least. However, once
you open your eyes and take an honest look, you can relatively
easily scrutinize your front and sides; it's the rear that takes
some work!
The same is true for work performance – yours
or your employees'. There are aspects of it that you can readily
identify as needing work and others parts that you know are
working really well. However, with normal performance reviews, you
rarely see a full picture: Your judgment is necessarily clouded by
your perspective and biases. With a 360-degree evaluation you get others
to fill in the "rear view" and help you see what you couldn't
quite picture before.
With 360-degree feedback you gather information from
the main people working with, or affected by, the person being
evaluated (as well as his or her managers.) This is then amalgamated
it into one full and complete image. One person can have a limited
and sometimes biased view, whereas many people should provide
a more accurate and more complete picture.
Not only does this create a clearer picture
of areas of improvement, it also encourages teamwork. After all,
there's no point in someone "sucking up to the boss"
if everyone else is going to point out arrogance, unhelpfulness,
and political behavior!
However it's at about this point in the explanation of 360-degree feedback
that many managers gasp and raise the following types of
objections:

"You want my staff to evaluate me? I don't think so!"
"It'll weaken discipline and compromise respect for  authority."
"It'll crystallize feelings that are better left vague and undefined."
"It'll cause problems where none exist."
"The bureaucracy created by the process of each team member rating each other team member is far too time consuming for the amount of extra benefit we'd get over the usual appraisal method."
"People will rate their friends high and take the opportunity to criticize others they don't like or get along with."

Is 360-Degree Feedback Really for You?
Arguably, therefore, 360-degree feedback is not for the faint of heart. It takes a very confident management group to implement it – one that is clear about the value in hearing the good and the bad from a whole bunch of different perspectives. The whole point of 360-degree feedback is to get the topic of performance out in the open.

In traditional workplaces performance is discussed in private, once a year (if you're lucky!), and is simply one
person's assessment of how another is doing. However, think about
how rich a performance review could be if the results were based
on information received from everyone a person interacts with!
Where 360-degree feedback works, it works really
well. Where it doesn't, it can be disastrous. There are many precursors
and steps for implementation that will improve your chances of
success. None of these will be sufficient to overcome a core level
of disagreement with the underlying philosophy of 360-degree feedback,
though. If you can handle giving more "power to the people", then
it is worth serious consideration. If, for whatever reason, you're
not there yet, then take a look at the program and see if there
are bits and pieces that you might be able to use to enhance your
current feedback system.
Note 1:
Within a well-designed 360-degree feedback system, the entire
evaluation process is potentially much fairer than traditional
approaches. No longer is it a case of one person's opinion
about another; now the evaluation considers performance
from a company-wide perspective. The notion of favoritism
is all but eliminated and supervisors have much more information
upon which to customize personal development plans designed
to address specific behaviors. This makes it a great tool
for promoting teamwork and countering bad team behavior.

However make sure that this is what you want: Some organizations
depend for success on the exceptional performance of a few
star players. If this describes your organization, then
perhaps it makes good business sense to tolerate a certain
amount of "prima donna" behavior. Here, the good of the
team may just have to take a back seat.
Note 2:
Different cultures around the world will look at 360-degree feedback in different ways. An approach that may be seen
as perfectly normal and acceptable in the U.S., for example,
may cause serious problems in more reserved countries like
the U.K. or Japan.
For specific guidance on giving and receiving feedback in different countries and cultures, see the appropriate articles in our Managing Around the World section.
Note 3:
Other names for 360-degree feedback are "Multi-Rater
Feedback," "Full-Circle Appraisal," "Group
Performance Review", and "Upward Feedback."

What is 360-Degree Feedback Exactly?
360-degree feedback is the process of getting feedback from
other people as well as an employee's direct supervisor. In typical employee
evaluations, the boss rates the employee on a number of
performance factors. The employee may have an opportunity to do a
self-rating as well. The feedback is discussed, goals may or may
not be set, and the employee lives to tell about another year with
the company.
By contrast, with 360-degree feedback, the employee's
boss, team members and other people who have regular contact with
him or her are asked to provide an anonymous evaluation. Some
companies choose to have clients provide feedback ratings as well.
These evaluations are compiled, and a full view of the employee's
performance is generated.
Sometimes an outside consultant is called in to develop a profile
for the employee. Alternatively someone not involved in the
feedback itself, typically an HR representative, will do the final
reporting. Using this profile report, the employee and supervisor
discuss the competencies surveyed and a goal plan for improvement
is agreed upon.
The evaluations themselves are delivered in survey form,
open-ended questions, or a combination of the two. The survey
responses are typically easier for data gathering, however the
open-ended questions will probably yield more specific information
to work with.
A survey question might ask a series of questions related to time
management (i.e. Employee completes work in assigned time) and ask
the evaluator to respond based on a scale of 1 to 5 (1 = not at
all, 2 = occasionally, 3 = usually, 4 = often, 5 = always).

An open ended question on the other hand, would say, "Comment on
this employee's ability to manage his/her time." The evaluator
would then have to come up with specific instances where the
person did or did not use effective time management.
While 360-degree feedback does give you a panoramic view of a person's
performance, it is not the panacea to employee evaluations that
people have made it out to be either. Soliciting feedback is
always a risky prospect. People have their own agendas and bias.
Multiply these biases across a number of people who have different
relationships with the person being evaluated.
Precursors for Implementing 360-Degree Feedback
Conditions for using 360-degree feedback within an organization need to
be carefully analyzed and monitored. The culture of the
organization is the largest determining factor for determining
whether 360-degree feedback will work: Not all organizations are ready
for the openness and honesty this panoramic viewpoint provides.
The first thing to ask is, "What is the purpose of implementing
360-degree feedback in the first place?" If the sole reason is for
performance appraisal then that is not enough. A key component of
360-degree evaluation is employee development. You have to be prepared
to use the information gathered to determine learning and growth.
Here are some questions to consider as you evaluate your
360-degree feedback:

Is there executive or upper level management support?
Is the culture open and honest?
Is there a sufficient level of trust among members of the organization?
Is the management model participative and engaging?
Are employees clear about how their role fits into the big picture?
Is employee performance solidly tied to corporate objectives?
Is there commitment for coaching or facilitating support to help employees meet their objectives?

Perhaps the most important thing to remember when considering 360-degree
evaluations is the fact that 360 degree is not a program; it is a
process. It is a process of employee and organizational
improvement. The two must be taken together in order for this type
of multiple-rating system to work.

360-Degree Feedback ≠ Objective Feedback

An important notion to remember with 360-degree feedback is
that the feedback itself is still subjective. Each piece
of feedback comes from an individual source with his or
her own biases, preferences, preconceived notions and, perhaps,
hidden agenda.

What 360-degree feedback does accomplish is increased reliability.
By increasing the amount and source of feedback, you increase
the reliability that similar opinions are in fact true and
indicative of the person's real behavior. The power of 360-degree
feedback lies in hearing the same thing from different sources,
not simply from gathering a variety of opinions.

Designing and Implementing a 360-Degree Feedback
System
360-degree evaluations provide a prime opportunity
for self-analysis and when combined with an appropriate, and action-oriented
development plan, they can help to create a more harmonious and
productive workplace. There are many companies that provide custom
and off-the-shelf tools for implementing 360-degree feedback systems.
Whether you plan to use an outside consultant or design a system
yourself, there are some important aspects of a successful program
you need to consider.
Plan Thoroughly

Collaborate with top managers and executive to clarify the purpose, aims and objectives of the 360-degree process.
Identify a 360-degree planning committee to coordinate implementation and communicate program objectives.
Set program policies:

Confidentiality.
How insensitive or inappropriate feedback will be handled.


Set timelines and schedules as appropriate.
Start communicating what the program is and how it will be applied as soon as possible.

Design the Program

Evaluate the job descriptions and define the underlying competencies.
Consult with employees to gain further insight into the positions being evaluated.
Determine what type of survey tool will be used:

Rating scales?
Open ended questions?
Paper format or online?


Decide how the process will work:

Will employees have a say in who gets a survey?
Who will be raters? Employees, bosses, coworkers, clients?
What timeline will the process follow?
How will surveys be returned?
Who will compile the information into a profile?
Will the surveys be shared with the employee?


Communicate how the 360-degree feedback system is designed.

Implement the Program

Conduct information sessions and brief all the participants and raters on the objectives, policies, and processes involved.
Ensure all the managers and supervisors know what to do to facilitate the process.
Continue communicating.
Provide necessary support to interpret and debrief employees on the feedback.
Create employee development plans utilizing the direct feedback received.
Use the information gathered to develop organization-wide development plans based on the training and other identified needs of employees.
Use the development plans to align employee performance, behaviors, and expectations with the organization's needs and overall strategy.
Measure and report progress or improvements in achieving the company's overall goal or strategy.

Monitor and Evaluate

Create a feedback process for the program itself.
Make changes as required.
Communicate the effectiveness and changes made.

By being very purposeful from the very beginning of a 360-degree feedback program, you are developing the exact infrastructure
needed to provide the coaching and support required for successful
implementation. When you have a clear and well-defined process,
the information gathered can be used to develop the employees and
the organization as a whole.

Key Points
There are some very compelling reasons for
implementing 360-degree evaluations, and the results of a
well-orchestrated program can be impressive, particularly where
successful teamwork is important for an organization's success.
The key to a success rollout is to ensure
openness and readiness. 360-degree evaluation is a significant
departure from traditional methods, involving a considerable
increase in vulnerability to the opinions of peers, colleagues,
and superiors, as to what they truly think of your performance.
360-degree evaluation is not for
all organizations but successful, performance oriented, and team
based corporations will benefit enormously from the
self-confidence and self-awareness it will instill in all
employees.

Read more…

Many of us are used to looking out for things that are going wrong. After all, if something's wrong, it needs to be fixed before it damages productivity, or affects the bottom line.
But do you actively look out for things that are going right? And how often do you show your appreciation for people who are performing well, even if you're not their manager?
Many people don't give enough praise in the workplace. However, almost everyone – including team members, colleagues, customers, suppliers and your boss – loves to get sincere recognition for a job well done.
In this article, we'll look at how you can best give this recognition.
Why Give Praise?
There are many reasons why you should regularly give praise.
First, people who feel appreciated and respected are more motivated than those who think their efforts go unnoticed. They're more engaged in the work they do, and they're more committed to their teams and organizations, because they know that they're making a real difference. This is especially important if you're working in an organization where budgets are tight, and where you can't afford to reward your people with raises or bonuses.
Sincere praise also helps you develop good work relationships with colleagues. These same colleagues are often very willing to return that feeling of goodwill: this means that they're more likely to lend a helping hand or share some useful information when you need it.
An interesting aspect about praise is the chemical reaction it causes in us. Research shows that when we hear something we like, a burst of dopamine is released in our brains. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, and it's associated with feelings of joy, pride, satisfaction, and well-being.
When you praise someone else, not only does that person feel great, but it leads them to want to experience that same feeling again. Giving praise cements good working habits and behavior, both chemically and intellectually.

Note:
While giving praise is an essential part of developing good work relationships, it's important not to praise others just to get something in return. Enjoy giving praise, and enjoy its positive effect on the people around you!

Obstacles With Praise
Some people find it very difficult to give compliments. For instance, if they were raised in an environment where giving praise wasn't the norm, it might not occur to them to praise people. Other people feel uncomfortable giving praise, because they have low self-esteem, or because it makes them feel embarrassed.

If you don't feel comfortable giving praise, it's important to think about why it's difficult for you. Once you've discovered the root of the problem, you can start taking steps to overcome it.
If you're simply not used to giving others praise, set a goal to recognize someone's good work at least once each day. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to show this appreciation.
You can also adjust your work habits so that you're in a better position to touch base with colleagues and team members. Practice management by walking around , or start eating lunch in the break room instead of at your desk. Remember that you don't have to be face-to-face with someone to praise good work; you can send an email, call the person, or even praise her hard work to others when the person isn't around.
How to Give Memorable Praise
While giving praise is important, it's equally important not to go over the top. If you praise others too often, it will lessen the impact of your message and make others question your integrity. Follow these strategies to give memorable and sincere praise.
1. Be Specific
Most of us have heard comments like "Nice job!" or "Well done on that report!" While this type of general praise has its place and is definitely better than nothing, you'll make more of an impact if you're more specific.
For instance, you could say, "Your thoroughness on that report made my day go more smoothly; thank you." When you tell the other person what he did well and how it had a positive effect, it will make your message memorable and relevant.
2. Praise Often
The more you praise others sincerely, the quicker they'll learn what's important to you. This is especially relevant if you're in a management role and you're trying to shape the behavior and work ethic of a new team.
Use the Losada Ratio to balance your praise and constructive feedback; this ratio states that people perform best when they experience at least three positive interactions to every one negative interaction. Try to better this 3:1 ratio with everyone on your team. This theory also ties into the Broaden and Build Theory , which says that the more positive emotions you can encourage in other people, the more flexible and creative they'll become.
3. Show as Well as Tell
Praise doesn't always have to come in the form of a verbal or written compliment. You can show your appreciation and respect to others in a variety of ways.
For instance, asking a team member to mentor a new employee shows that you value her work ethic and character. Or, asking a colleague to lead a team that you're putting together shows that you respect his expertise and leadership abilities. Mix verbal praise with actions that show your appreciation and respect.
4. Praise Appropriately
Everyone on your team and in your organization has a different personality, and each person is likely to have different motivations. Some people crave the limelight, and they love being praised publicly. Others would prefer a quiet "thank you" in private.
This is why it's important to figure out the best form of praise for each person. Before you offer public praise to anyone, ask yourself whether this is something the person would truly want. You can use McClelland's Human Motivation Theory to structure your feedback so that it's meaningful for each person.
5. Spread Your Praise
Your most talented or hardworking team members likely get praised all the time (this might be one reason why they perform so well). However, you should try to include team members who get less recognition; it might be that a little appreciation is all that they need to flourish.

Tip:
It's best not to praise someone and then ask for a favor in the same conversation. The other person might suspect that the praise is meaningless, and that you're simply "buttering them up."


Giving Praise in Different Cultures
Keep in mind that giving praise publicly or regularly might be frowned upon in some cultures.
For instance, if you're managing in the United States , then giving praise is an important part of building good working relationships with a team. However, if you're managing in Germany , then you could lose trust with your team by giving too much praise.
If you're managing people from different backgrounds, make sure that you're aware of cultural norms, and be sensitive to these preferences. (You can better understand specific differences between cultures with our articles on Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions and The Seven Dimensions of Culture .)

Key Points
Praise is an essential part of keeping people motivated and engaged in their work, and it's also good for building good working relationships with team members, customers, and colleagues. Follow these tips to provide meaningful praise.

Be specific.
Praise often.
Show as well as tell.
Praise appropriately.
Spread your praise.

In some cultures, praise can embarrass people or even cause them to look at you with mistrust. In these situations, it's important to be sensitive in the way that you give praise.

Read more…

The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be the person who knows how to ask.
– Peter Drucker, author and consultant
It's time for Scott's performance review – he walks in confidently, and he's expecting praise for the hard work that he's been putting in.
However, he's devastated when his boss starts criticizing the quality of his work. Not only is she unhappy with Scott's performance, but she's also considering taking away some of his responsibilities.
Although this might sound like a drastic scenario, situations like this are more common than you might think.
After all, if your boss or your clients were unhappy with your work, they'd tell you, right? Well, not all of the time. This is why it's so important to be proactive about soliciting feedback. In this article, we'll look at how to ask for feedback, and how you can learn from it.
Benefits of Feedback
To improve your skills and grow professionally, it's essential that you get feedback on the work that you do. After all, you can't fix something that you don't know is broken! In turn, your improvement could lead to a promotion or to other opportunities down the road. It will also raise your self-confidence, and show your boss that you truly care about your work.
On the other hand, not getting any feedback can make you think that your contributions aren't valued or noticed. This can make you question the importance of the work you're doing and your overall competency. It can also damage your morale and self-confidence.
This is why it's important for you to take the initiative in asking for feedback, especially if the people you need it from aren't offering it on a regular basis. (For instance, some managers may only provide detailed feedback during annual performance reviews.)
An additional benefit is that when you ask for feedback, you do it on your terms. You're mentally ready to hear the good and the bad, and you're open to working hard to improve.
Overcoming a "Fear of Feedback"
Asking for feedback can be a bit intimidating – after all, you're opening yourself up to possible criticism. This can be difficult at first.
You can overcome this fear by adjusting your mindset. Remember that no one is perfect – all of us make mistakes, and everyone has room to improve. In this respect, you're the same as everyone else in your organization.
But, it takes courage to admit that you're not perfect, and to open yourself up to hear constructive comments. As such, if you ask for feedback, then you've already put yourself a step above your colleagues and competitors.

Tip:
A great way of overcoming the fear of feedback is to use the ABC Technique . This can help you take feedback for what it is – a useful learning tool that you can use to better yourself – rather than being upset and demoralized by it.

Who to Ask for Feedback
The most obvious person to ask for feedback is your boss. However, he or she isn't the only person who can give you useful feedback.

Your colleagues will likely have some great insights into your performance. They probably notice things about your work that you and your boss might overlook. (You can offer to give feedback to them as well.)
You can also ask your customers for feedback. This shows them that you care about your relationship and the work you do for them. It also gives you a chance to address any issues before they lose confidence in you, and take their business elsewhere.
Additionally, you can ask vendors and suppliers for feedback – any insights that improve your working relationships can be valuable.

Note:
It can be hard for other people to give you feedback, especially if it's constructive criticism. They most likely want to help but they probably also don't want to hurt your feelings! So do your best to put them at ease, so that they can be honest with you.

How to Ask for Feedback
We'll now look at how you can ask for feedback effectively:
1. Consider the Timing
First, think about why you want feedback, so that you can time your request appropriately. For instance, do you want feedback on your general performance, or on a specific project, task, or event?
If you need feedback on general performance, then you can ask for it at any sensible time. However, if you need feedback on something specific, such as the meeting you just led or the report you just submitted, it's most helpful to ask for it right after the event takes place. This immediacy will ensure that you get the most accurate picture of your performance.
2. Be Specific
Whenever you ask for feedback, be as specific as possible.
General questions such as "How am I doing?" will most likely receive general answers. You'll get better feedback by asking specific questions such as "Have my weekly reports been as thorough as you want them to be?"
You can also ask for a specific action to take. For instance, you could ask, "What's one thing I could do, in your opinion, to improve here?"
If you're unsure about why the other person is giving you a specific type of feedback, or if you feel that person might have jumped to the wrong conclusions, then ask further questions. It's important to clarify any feedback while the person is giving it; if you don't, you'll just stew over it later, and perhaps jump to some incorrect conclusions yourself.
3. Be Graceful
If you receive negative feedback, it's tempting to provide an excuse for your behavior or to point the finger of blame at someone else.
Therefore, it's important to learn how to handle criticism with grace. Remember, you asked for this opportunity to improve! Be open and diplomatic in your responses, and thank the other person for his or her time and effort.
You might also want to go through our Coaching Clinic, Don't Take It Personally , to learn how to retain your confidence and optimism in the face of constructive criticism.
4. Really Listen
When you receive feedback, you might instantly start thinking of excuses to explain your behavior, or you might start planning what you're going to say when the other person has finished speaking.
So, make an effort to listen in detail to the other person when receiving feedback. Use Active Listening so that you get the full measure of what this person is saying.
How to Use Feedback Effectively
Feedback is only useful when you take the next step and actually do something with it.
Explore the feedback you receive before you take action on it. This will help you understand why your behavior needs to change. (You may find the Feedback Matrix useful for thinking about this.)
Once you better understand the feedback, come up with a plan to use it. Ask yourself how you're going to improve, and write out the steps you need to take.
This can then become an important personal goal . For instance, imagine your boss gave you some useful feedback at the end of your last presentation; she said you need to work on your presentation manner, especially your nerves. You could make this a goal, and commit to spending some time on it so that you can improve your presentation skills.
When Feedback Is Unfair
Some of the feedback you receive will be useful and will motivate you to perform better. However, some may be the opposite – either unusable or downright unfair.
Unfair feedback is often harsh, personal, and generalized, and is likely to be more of a personal attack than a sincere desire to help you improve. You can learn strategies for dealing with this situation in our article on dealing with unfair criticism .

Note:
If you're in a management role, make sure that you're giving your team the feedback they need to improve. To learn how to give effective feedback, go through our Bite-Sized Training session on
giving feedback , or read our article on the same subject.


Key Points
Feedback can be incredibly useful if you want to grow, both personally and professionally. It's important to realize that you'll often need to ask for feedback.
Be specific about what you want to know when you ask for feedback. Ask questions to clarify anything that you're unsure about, and be graceful as you receive the feedback. Keep in mind that it's often as difficult to give feedback as it is to hear it. With that in mind, make sure that you say "thank you"!
After you've received feedback, take time to understand the other person's comments and then come up with a plan to improve. The information you receive through feedback can turn into goals that you can use to improve your career.

Read more…

"Performance review." Does the mere mention of this event make your heart sink?
Employees and managers the world over dread this ritual and therein lays the main problem: We have institutionalized the giving and receiving of feedback. We save up our comments and document all the things we note about a person's performance. And then, like a big cat ready to pounce, the manager brings a hapless employee into the office and springs a year's worth of "constructive criticism" onto him or her.
No doubt the process is seen as unnerving and
fear provoking. And this is exactly the wrong emotional environment
in which to discuss performance, introduce suggestions for improvement,
and talk about goals for the future. This is a shame, because
giving and receiving feedback is some of the most important communication
you can engage in with members of your team.
When done in the right way and with the right
intentions, feedback communication is the avenue to performance
greatness. Employees have to know what they are doing well and
not so well. For them to really hear your thoughts and suggestions
on ways to improve, though, that feedback has to be delivered
carefully and frequently.
Giving feedback effectively is a skill. And like all skills, it takes practice to build your confidence and improve. The following is a collection of "feedback giving" tips that you can start putting into practice today.

Tip:
We talk generally about feedback between a manager/supervisor and employee. However, feedback can, and should, be given up, down, and laterally. The same principles apply.

Giving Feedback Effectively
Number One Rule: Try to Make it a Positive Process and Experience
Before giving feedback make sure you remind yourself why you are doing it. The purpose for giving
feedback is to improve the situation or performance. You won't
accomplish that by being harsh, critical, or offensive.
That's not to say you must always be positive.
There is a role for negativity and even anger if someone isn't
paying sufficient attention to what you're saying. However this
should be used sparingly. You'll most often get much more from
people when your approach is positive and focused on improvement. (Use tools like the Feedback Matrix and the Losada Ratio to help you get the balance right.)
Be Timely
The closer to the event you address the issue, the better. Feedback isn't about surprising someone so the sooner you do it, the more the person will be expecting it.

Think of it this way: It's much easier to feed back about a single one-hour job that hasn't been done properly than it is to feed back about a whole year of failed one-hour jobs.

Tip:
The exception to this is if the situation involved is highly emotional. Here, wait until everyone has calmed down before you engage in feedback. You can't risk letting yourself get worked up and risk saying something you will regret later.

Make it Regular
Feedback is a process that requires constant attention. When something needs
to be said, say it. People then know where they stand all the
time and there are few surprises. Also, problems don't get out
of hand. This is not a once-a-year or a once-every-three-month
event. While this may be the timing of formal feedback, informal,
simple feedback should be given much more often than this – perhaps
every week or even every day, depending on the situation.
With frequent informal feedback like this, nothing
said during formal feedback sessions should be unexpected, surprising
or particularly difficult.
Prepare Your Comments
You don't want to read a script but you do
need to be clear about you are going to say. This helps you stay
on track and stick to the issues.
Be Specific
Tell the person
exactly what they need to improve on. This ensures that you stick
to facts and there is less room for ambiguity. If you tell someone
they acted unprofessionally, what does that mean exactly? Were
they too loud, too friendly, too casual, too flip or too poorly
dressed?
Remember to stick to what you know first hand:
You'll quickly find yourself on shaky ground if you start giving
feedback based on other people's views.

Tip:
Try not to exaggerate to make a point. Avoid words like "never", "all," and "always" because the person will get defensive. Always discuss the direct impact of the behavior and don't get personal or seek to blame.

Criticize in Private
While public recognition is appreciated, public scrutiny is not.
Establish a safe place to talk where you won't be interrupted or overheard.
Use "I" Statements
Give the feedback from your perspective. This way you avoid labeling the person.
Say, "I was angry and hurt when you criticized my report in front of my boss" rather than "You were insensitive yesterday."
Limit Your Focus
A feedback session should discuss no more than two issues. Any more than that and you risk the person feeling attacked and demoralized.
You should also stick to behaviors the person can actually change or influence.
Talk About Positives Too
A good rule is start off with something positive. This helps put
the person at ease. It also lets them "see" what success looks
like and this helps them to take the right steps next time.
As long as it's not forced, it can also help
to give positive feedback at the end of a feedback session too.
Otherwise, people can finish feeling despondent and worthless.

Tip:
Many people can tend to overdo this and they end up sandwiching the constructive feedback between too many positives. Then the takeaway message becomes, "Gee, I'm doing really well" instead of "I'm good at communicating with customers, but I need to bring my interpersonal skills with my co-workers up to that same level."

Provide Specific Suggestions
Make sure you both know what needs to be done to improve the situation. The main message should be that you care and want to help the person grow and develop. Set goals and make plans to monitor and
evaluate progress. Use the SMART acronym and define specific steps and milestones, or the GROW model to motivate people to deliver the change you want.

Tip:
You may not agree on everything so it is a good idea to
ask the person to provide their perspective. Use phrases
like, "What is your reaction to this?" or "Is this a fair
representation of what happened?" Listen actively to what
he or she has to say and try to get him or her to offer some
suggestions for improvement. This way they have an
opportunity to own the solution and are much more likely to
follow through with it. To avoid sounding like you're
preaching, stay away from words like "good," "bad," "must,"
"need to," etc.

Follow Up
The whole purpose of feedback is to improve
performance. You need to measure whether or not that is happening
and then make adjustments as you go. Be sure to document your
conversations and discuss what is working and what needs to be
modified.

Tip:
It's also important that you actively seek feedback from your boss, colleagues, and customers. See our article on Getting Feedback
for more on this.


Key Points
Feedback is a two way street. You need to know how to give it effectively and at the same time model how to receive it constructively.
When you make a conscious choice to give and receive feedback on a regular basis you demonstrate that feedback is a powerful means of personal development. Done properly, feedback need not be agonizing, demoralizing, or daunting and the more practice you get the better you will become at it. It may never be your favorite means of communicating with employees, co-workers, or bosses but it does have the potential to make your workplace a much more productive and harmonious place to be.

Read more…

Giving feedback is an essential part of your role as a manager. When you let people know how they're doing, you give them the chance to change unhelpful habits, and you reward and cement positive behavior.
So, why do managers have so much difficulty giving feedback? Perhaps it's because they're uncomfortable doing it, or they don't feel that they have the skills to do it properly. Either way, they may put off making comments until a problem has become serious.
Use this quiz to find out how well you give feedback, and to discover how you can give better feedback in the future.
How Good is Your Feedback?
Instructions
Evaluate each statement as you actually are, rather than as you think you should be. When you've finished, click "Calculate My Total" to add up your score, and use the table that follows to think about your next steps.






   15 Statements to Answer
Not at All
Rarely
Some times
Often
Very Often








1
When I give feedback, I listen to what my team member says, and try to understand his or her perspective and feelings.








2
I refer my team to our mission and vision statements, and let senior executives explain the company's overall direction and strategy. They do a much better job than I could.








3
I familiarize myself with people's job descriptions, performance agreements, and performance reviews to prepare for feedback sessions.








4
After I've given feedback, I leave people to make changes as they see fit.








5
I make sure that my team members know how their jobs add value to the organization.








6
I refer to specific incidents instead of generalizations when I give feedback.








7
I follow up on the feedback that I provide.








8
I use statements that help people understand the impact of their behavior.








9
I know what my team members are working on, and I visit their workspaces often.








10
I give feedback that focuses on what people need to improve or change.








11
I give feedback based primarily on my observations and feelings, and I don't gather other opinions or facts.








12
I talk to the person directly, remain calm, explain how I feel, and say what needs to change.








13
I assess my team members' individual developmental needs.








14
I help my team members set clear objectives.








15
I measure performance improvement with specific metrics.















Total =  0






Score Interpretation



Score
Comment




15-34
Your feedback is not always clear, which means that people may not act on it. They may not understand what they need to change, or why.
When you give feedback, prepare for the session carefully, and comment clearly on recent situations where a behavior or action has had a negative impact. State your case assertively, and outline the consequences of not acting on the feedback. (See below for a more detailed analysis.)



35-55
Sometimes people heed your feedback, but others may question it or follow it inconsistently. Use the Situation – Behavior – Impact Tool to give structured feedback, and suggest that your team member uses the Feedback Matrix to reflect on your comments.
Offer regular opportunities to discuss feedback, and check that it's been understood. Don't forget to give praise as well. (See below for a more detailed analysis.)



56-75
People listen to your feedback, and act on it. They value your comments because they know that you've taken time to think about them. Your team members act on your comments, and grow personally and professionally as a result. (See below for a more detailed analysis.)




Preparing to Give Feedback
(Questions 3, 9, 11)

Before you give feedback to one of your team members, make sure that you understand the situation fully. Read their job description and objectives, and also look at past performance reviews to see what comments have been made.
Also, write regular performance notes to refresh your memory before a feedback session, and include positive events, as well as opportunities for improvement.
Finally, gather information from a variety of sources, so that your feedback is as objective as possible. Some organizations use 360-Degree Feedback to get input from everyone who works with the person. Or, you can simply gather comments from other managers whose work is affected.
Structuring Feedback, and Balancing Negative Feedback With Positive Interactions
(Questions 8, 10, 12)

It's important to structure feedback effectively so that people understand the impact of their actions. Use the Situation – Behavior – Impact Tool to give specific examples of behavior that needs to change.
People perform better when they have positive interactions, so structure feedback sessions so that you make more positive comments than negative. Read our article on the Losada Ratio to learn more about how to balance your comments so that people see your feedback in a positive way.
Timeliness is another important feature of feedback. Don't wait too long to tell people what you thought about their performance in a specific situation, whether positive or negative. For example, if you see someone doing a great job, give praise right away.


Tip:
Assertive language will improve your feedback. People are more likely to take the conversation seriously when you use "I" statements, and firm language also creates a clear line between behavior and impact. This raises people's sense of accountability .


Using Feedback to Link Line Management With Strategic Management
(Questions 2, 5, 14)

Feedback helps people understand how they contribute to organizational objectives, and how they
can add value .
Use management by objectives , key performance indicators , and goal setting to link team members' work to organizational strategy. You can use the Pyramid of Purpose and the Hoshin Planning System to explain how their work links to larger objectives.
Then, ask team members what resources they need so that they can contribute to organizational goals.

Placing Feedback in Context
(Questions 1, 6, 13)

Part of the purpose of feedback is to provide opportunities for development. However, many people view feedback negatively: if they have something to improve, then they may feel that they have failed in some way.
If your team members are anxious about feedback, listen to their concerns carefully, and with empathy .
Reassure your people that giving feedback is part of your responsibility as a manager. It's your job to help your people do their best, and, as part of that goal, you'll regularly discuss their developmental needs . Make sure they know that this will be a collaborative process – you'll need their input so that you can help them reach their professional development goals.
Following up Feedback, and Performance Management
(Questions 4, 7, 15)

Feedback is not a one-time activity – it's part of an ongoing conversation about expectations. This is particularly important when you need to see significant improvement from someone.
In this situation, think about creating performance agreements . These outline what you expect, and they set out the consequences of not delivering this. Performance agreements should not be punitive; instead, they help people to see – and agree – what you want, and to take responsibility for delivering this.
In turn, it's your responsibility to track performance – ideally using agreed and specific metrics – and to follow up if agreed changes don't happen.
If you need to manage poor performance , look over your feedback notes to pinpoint possible problems. Have people had the right training and development? Has it been followed through? Do they have all the resources and equipment that they need?

Key Points
One of the most important aspects of your role as a manager is to give feedback that guides and motivates your team members.
Feedback is essential to your team members' personal and professional development, and you owe it to them – and your organization – to make your comments fair, regular, and timely.

Read more…

"Miss, can you bring me a glass of water?"...
"Oh miss, I need some ketchup for my eggs."...
"Oh dear... Miss, my eggs are too runny. I can't possibly eat these. You'll need to send them back, and make sure my order is right this time."...
"Well, now there's a mark on my water glass. Get me a new one!"...
"You expect me to pay full price for this meal? I was served runny eggs and had to go out of my way to ask for water, which was then brought in a dirty glass. I can't believe it. There will certainly be no tip for you, young lady!"
How would you feel if you were the waitress (or waiter) dealing with this customer? Frustrated? Angry? Humiliated? Comments like this from a customer are likely to provoke a negative emotional reaction. However, as a hardworking professional, you would have to hide your personal feelings, and remain calm and positive throughout the exchange.
Does your job require you to manage your emotions, or the way you express those emotions, to meet organizational expectations? This is called 'emotional labor.' People in a service-oriented role – hotel workers, airline flight attendants, tour operators, coaches, counselors – often face the demands of emotional labor.
What is Emotional Labor?
Arlie Hochschild created the term 'emotional labor' in 1983 to describe the things that service workers do that goes beyond physical or mental duties. Showing a genuine concern for customers' needs, smiling, and making positive eye contact are all critical to a customer's perception of service quality. These types of activities, when they're essential to worker performance, are emotional labor.
When you face angry clients, or people who are generally unpleasant, emotional labor can be particularly challenging. A large part of that challenge comes from the need to hide your real emotions, and continue to 'smile and nod your head,' even when receiving negative or critical feedback.
Companies often place a great deal of strategic importance on service orientation, not only to external customers but to colleagues and internal clients as well. While emotional labor is applicable to many areas of business, the consequences are probably greatest in traditional service roles. However, in an increasingly service-oriented marketplace, it's important to understand how emotional labor affects workers, and what organizations can do to support and manage any issues.
Implications for Workers
When you engage in emotional labor, you control your feelings to fulfill the goals and expectations of your organization. From a practical standpoint, this means that you either (a) express only your positive feelings, or (b) hide or manage your negative feelings. To deal with negative emotions, people tend to do one of the following:

Show emotion they don't really feel.
Hide emotion they really do feel.
Create an appropriate emotion for the situation.

You can do this using two emotional labor techniques:

Surface acting – You fake, or pretend to have, an emotion by using unnatural and artificial body language and verbal communication. Smiling and using a soft tone of voice help you show emotion that you don't feel, or hide emotion that you do feel.
Deep acting – You control your internal emotions, directing them to believe that you actually are happy, and enjoying the interaction with the other person. Rather than feel like you're pretending, you convince yourself you're not experiencing a negative reaction.

When you continually need to show only those emotions that are appropriate for the job, despite how you really feel, this can often lead to emotional conflict between your real emotions and those you show to others.
Some researchers believe that emotional conflict like this leads to emotional exhaustion and burnout for workers – and that hiding your emotions on a regular basis leads to high levels of stress, and even a disconnection from close personal relationships. However, other studies have not found a connection between emotional conflict and emotional exhaustion.
A popular theory to explain this inconsistency in research findings is that individuals vary in their ability to deal with inauthentic, or 'pretend,' emotional expressions. Some workers may be able to identify with the organization's values of positive emotional communication, making them better prepared to express appropriate emotions. Also, people who are generally more cheerful and pleasant may be able to turn off negative emotions more easily than others.
Another factor may be a person's ability to recognize different social situations, and how to behave appropriately. People with more negative personalities and lower social awareness tend to have the hardest time dealing with emotional conflict – and they probably experience emotional exhaustion more easily.
To get a better understanding of emotional labor, here are some questions to ask yourself and, perhaps, to explore with your team:

What are the emotional labor requirements of your job?
How do you deal with these requirements?
How often do you experience emotional conflict?
Do you think emotional conflict has led to emotional exhaustion?
How do you manage stress and other signs of emotional exhaustion?

By regularly examining the role of emotional labor in your work, you can help reduce the potential negative effects – and continue to provide high-quality service to internal and external customers.
Implications for Organizations
It's important for workers to understand the impact that emotional labor has on their performance. However, it's essential that organizations are also aware of this requirement, so they can find ways to provide support to their workers, and help them deal with the impact of emotional labor.
Service workers typically need to perform in a certain manner if they're going to provide high quality service. This is usually defined by management, then strictly regulated and monitored. For example, customer service rules might be 'The customer is always right,' or 'Always greet customers with a smile.'

Expecting people to work in teams, and show positive team behaviors with their colleagues, adds another element of emotional labor. In fact, many organizations place a growing emphasis on building relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders. This comes with many emotional labor conditions.
It's reasonable to believe that helping people deal with the consequences of emotional labor will improve staff morale and reduce staff turnover. Here are some common strategies that organizations use to help their staff deal with the demands of emotional labor:

Use buffering – Companies may assign front-end personnel to manage the emotional demands and needs of customers. By the time customers reach back-end workers, they can concentrate on business.
Teach 'display' rules – These are organizationally approved norms or standards that workers learn through observation, instruction, feedback, and reinforcement. Staff are taught how to act, and they may even be given scripts to use when dealing directly with clients. Therapists are taught to act neutrally, retail workers are taught to act positively, and bill collectors are often taught to act aggressive. Combining these display rules with company culture is very important.
Offer staff assistance programs – Organizations invest in the care and development of their workers by providing access to stress management and emotional health services. This strategy recognizes that emotional labor can be hard work.
Teach problem-solving techniques – To move workers beyond using scripts or relying on other display rules, some companies help their staff solve problems more effectively. This helps people build confidence, and reduce their negative reactions to angry or unpredictable situations. The better that workers are able to deal with problems, the more likely they are to resolve interpersonal issues before they lead to negative emotions.
Improve emotional intelligence – The ability to recognize other people's emotions is an effective way to reduce the burden of emotional labor. Building empathy and using other emotional intelligence tools help reduce the likelihood that emotional conflict will lead to emotional exhaustion.
Share knowledge – One of the most effective ways to help people deal with the realities of emotional labor is to share success stories. Allow staff to learn how others successfully deal with the impact of emotional conflict.
Bring emotional labor into the performance evaluation process – Organizations can recognize the importance of emotional labor by measuring workers' emotional effort factors and commitment to customer service. How well do workers deal with angry people? What type of attitude do they bring to work every day? Do they show tolerance and patience? When workers are rewarded for their emotional labor, it provides an incentive for them to show organizationally accepted emotions more often.

Used appropriately, these strategies can take much of the pain out of emotional labor. Indeed, where problems are addressed appropriately, service workers often report tremendous levels of satisfaction when they're able to help clients resolve their problems.

Many people would say that it's important to be authentic in all your communications. Clearly, this conflicts with the organization's need for customer service personnel to leave customers feeling positive and happy about their experience. The approaches described above are also useful for helping individuals reconcile these conflicting requirements.


Key Points
Emotional labor occurs when workers are paid, in part, to manage and control their emotions. Traditionally, we've seen this in service-oriented professions. But service excellence is now a key driver of success in most organizations, so elements of emotional labor are present in almost all workplaces. It's important to understand the impact of emotional labor, and how it affects workers.
Emotions at work are an important part of company life. Help people understand their reactions to emotional labor, and develop policies and procedures to reduce the negative impact of emotional labor. These are ways to improve overall performance and worker satisfaction.

Read more…

Have you ever experienced the "hard sell"?
The salesperson smiles insincerely at you, and then launches into his pitch.
He lists the features and benefits of his product, and explains why it's so much better than other products on the market.
He shows little interest in you or what you want, and he doesn't listen when you try to break in. You can't wait to end the conversation!
So, where did he go wrong?
Instead of trying to force you to his will, he should have asked questions and tailored a solution to your needs. In short, he should have used "consultative selling." With this approach, your meeting could have been very different, and would probably have had a better result.
Whether selling is a major or minor part of your role, the good news is that it's easy to learn and apply consultative selling. In this article, we'll look at the consultative selling process, and we'll discuss how you can develop the skills you need at each stage.
What is Consultative Selling?
Consultative selling (also known as "Solution Selling" and "Relationship Selling") is a sales approach that revolves almost entirely around the needs of your prospect (your potential client or customer).
Instead of doing a "hard sell" – where you talk about the features of your product and then ask your prospect to buy (this is sometimes called "Traditional Selling", or "Content Selling") – you spend much of your time listening to your prospect, and figuring out how your products or services can help solve your prospect's problems.

Here are two simple examples that illustrate the difference between traditional content selling and consultative selling.
Traditional or Content Selling
Imagine that you sell point-of-sale software designed for large retailers, and you visit prospective clients daily. During your pitch, you do most of the talking. You tell your prospects about the technological features of your software and explain why it's so much better than competing products.
All of the points that you bring up focus on the software's features and benefits, such as the fast startup process, the inventory program, and the customer database option.
Consultative Selling
By contrast, consultative selling is a more tailored approach. You spend time getting to know your prospective client, including understanding his or her needs and the business problems he or she is facing.
For instance, when you talk with your prospect, you spend most of your time listening. You ask questions to identify your prospect's needs and problems in detail, and you structure your responses around how the software can meet those needs, and solve his or her problems.
So, instead of solely talking about the software's fast startup process, you talk about how much time it will save your prospect's people – time they can use to do other things. Instead of only talking about the cutting-edge inventory program, you stress how this feature will save your prospect thousands of dollars each quarter with more accurate inventory counts.
With consultative selling, you can become a valued partner to your clients. You build relationships with them based on trust and understanding, and you then focus your communication on how your product can help solve their problems, grow their businesses, or increase their revenues.


Note 1:
Consultative selling may not be effective if you're selling a product that is very similar to a competitor's product. Here, prospects are likely to buy based on factors like price or convenience.
Note 2:
In this article, a "product" is anything that is offered to a market to satisfy a want or need. This includes physical goods, services, and even ideas or people.

The Consultative Selling Process
In their 2009 book, " Brilliant Selling ," authors Jeremy Cassell and Tom Bird outlined a five-step process for consultative selling.
The five steps are:

Identify needs and implications.
Present solutions.
Address objections.
Negotiate.
Ask for business.

List ⓒ Pearson Education Limited. Reproduced with permission.
Let's look at each step in greater detail.
Step 1: Identify Needs and Implications
The first step is to spend time identifying your prospect's needs, and understanding what these needs mean. So this step is all about asking questions and listening.
Start by making sure that you're asking the right questions. Use good questioning techniques such as asking open-ended questions and using specific, probing questions to understand the situation in more detail.
Possible questions might include:

What prompted you to look into this product?
What challenges are you facing right now?
What is your most important priority?
Which of your task and responsibilities in this area causes you the most issues?

Again, the questions you ask should focus on identifying things your prospects need. (Keep in mind that they might not even know they have a need; it's your job to ask questions that reveal them!)
In this step, you also need to listen properly to what your prospect is saying. Use active listening skills so that you fully understand your prospect's needs, and to communicate that you are indeed paying attention to what your prospect is saying.
Remember, this step is all about your prospect. Try to spend the majority of your time listening, not talking, and make careful notes on what you have learned.
Step 2: Present Solutions
Once you've identified your prospect's needs and have understood the implications of those needs, you present possible solutions. This is where you explain the mix of products that would best address your prospect's needs. Depending on the situation, you can do this as part of a formal sales proposal, as a face-to-face conversation, or as a presentation .
Map your prospect's needs to what your product can offer to meet these, and then craft a value proposition – this concisely explains the unique benefit that your product offers the client. Be specific, make sure that you reiterate the key problems and challenges that your prospect is facing, and explain how your product will help him or her overcome these issues.
If you're presenting solutions face-to-face, it's important to pay attention to your prospect's body language . This will provide clues on how well you're addressing your prospect's true needs and concerns. It can also show you which areas you need to explore or explain further.

Tip 1:
You must talk to your prospects at their level of understanding. Remember, your prospects may not know the specialized vocabulary that your industry uses, and they might not have your same level of technical expertise.
Avoid jargon whenever you talk to your prospects, plan your communication effectively, and keep your approach simple and direct, so that anyone can understand what you're saying.
Tip 2:
It sound obvious, but you need to learn as much about your product as possible before you try to sell it, including its USP . You can't highlight unique benefits if you don't actually know what these are!

Step 3: Address Objections
Once you've explained the specific benefits that your prospect will get from your product, there's a good chance that he or she will see some problems with what you're proposing.
Many people feel discouraged when a prospect raises objections. However, objections are a very good thing! They're a sign that your prospect is interested in what you're saying and wants more information. By dealing with objections well, you can significantly increase your prospect's confidence in your solution.
Objections are often based around the following:

Concerns over how far the product will meet needs.
Issues over price.
Resistance to moving to a new supplier or product.
Concerns about the product itself, or about add-ons like warranties and service-contracts.

Make sure that you listen closely when your prospect raises objections. Ask further questions to ensure that you fully understand these concerns, and take your time putting a response together.
As you work through this step, remember the principles from steps 1 and 2, and amend your value proposition appropriately, so that you address your prospect's concerns.
Step 4: Negotiate
If you've done a thorough job explaining the benefits of your product and dealing with objections, then the negotiating step is really about clarifying the terms of the purchase, not making the sale itself.
This is your opportunity to develop a solution that works for both you and your prospect. Use Win-Win Negotiation or Integrative Negotiation strategies to do this.
You might also want to read our article on Thinking on Your Feet to learn how to stay cool under pressure.
If you don't feel comfortable negotiating, practice it before you meet with your prospect. Use Role-Playing with a friend or colleague to simulate the negotiation – this will give you the chance to get comfortable using different approaches. (This is also a useful approach to use for other steps in the sales process.)
Step 5: Asking for Business
This last step is the most important because it hopefully ends in a sale!
Before you ask for your prospect's business, check one more time to make sure that he or she doesn't have any other questions or objections, either about the product itself or about the terms of the purchase. If you ask for the sale too early your prospect may not buy from you. (If they still have concerns, move back to the appropriate step in the process.)
Many people don't like to be pushed into buying something, so, instead of rushing in to close the sale in a gung-ho way, ask questions to get further commitment from your prospect.
For instance, you could ask questions like:

Do you feel that you could work with us on this service?
Do you have everything you need to make a decision?
How can we take things forward?

Once you're sure that your prospect is ready to buy from you, it's important that you get a final commitment by getting him or her to take action.
For example, you could ask him or her to sign a contract, or take payment details so that you can process an order.
If you've worked through the appropriate steps in the selling process, this last step should be quite easy. Then, your prospect becomes a customer or a client!

Tip 1:
Good relationship-building is also important to sell successfully. So, take time to build trust and
rapport with your prospects, where this is appropriate.
Tip 2:
Read our article on Cialdini's Six Principles of Influence for more on the factors that can help you influence and persuade people during the sales process.
Tip 3:
Timing is key during the sales process. Don't rush people into making a decision, but don't let them "go cold" either.


Key Points
Consultative selling is an approach that revolves around understanding your potential customers' needs. You use the process by focusing on becoming a valuable resource and partner for your prospects, and by selling them a product that fits their needs.
In their book "Brilliant Selling," authors Jeremy Cassell and Tom Bird present a five-step approach to consultative selling. The steps are:

Identifying needs and implications.
Presenting solutions.
Addressing objections.
Negotiating.
Asking for business.

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Are you trying to convince your manager to develop a new product, but can't get him or her to take things further? Or, would you like to introduce a new system into your team but can't get people's support? Perhaps you come into contact with clients and have the opportunity to sell new products and services – if so, do you know how to be an effective salesperson without having to resort to pushy sales tricks?
It's good to know some sales techniques, even if you don't work in a formal sales role. Whether you're trying to convince a new person to join your organization, or describing a new product to a client over a catch-up call, knowing how to sell is a great ability to have, and it's one that's sure to be respected strongly within your company.
In this article, we'll look at the consultative sales model, and examine how you can apply it to sell an idea, product, or service. We'll look at how to prepare, what to say, and how to handle questions and objections so that your next "sale" will be a success.
Consultative Selling
In consultative selling you act as a consultant: you help identify the needs of your client (in this case, your team, boss, or external customers), and then suggest products and solutions that meet those needs.
Consultative selling demands a higher level of trust and credibility than some other sales models. So, it's a great model to use simply because that foundation of trust is probably already there – if you're selling an idea to the executive board, your boss, your team, or current clients and customers, you've hopefully got a good relationship already in place, and you can use this to your advantage.
Also, because consultative selling focuses on helping your audience (rather than helping yourself to make a "sale"), it's more natural and intuitive. So it's easier to use if you're not a natural salesperson.
Preparation
Whether you're selling an idea, a project, a product, or even a job in your organization, you must enter that situation with an expert understanding of your audience, and of what they care about.
So effective selling means lots of preparation, meaning that much of your work will come before your speak to the people you're selling to.
Follow these tips to help in your preparation process:

Identify your target audience – With whom will you speak? Is it your boss, a key client, or your team? And is just one person involved in the purchase, or do you need to influence other stakeholders in his or her organization?
Identify key drivers – You must understand what's driving your audience. For instance, if your organization's goal is to increase profits by 10 percent this year, how will your product/idea/project help them accomplish that goal?
Identify the language that people use – If you're addressing a technical audience, be prepared to present using technical language and ideas. If you're selling to finance people, use numbers and data to craft your message.
Determine exactly what you're "selling" – Is it a new feature that you want added to the company's payroll process? A new product idea? A new reporting process for your department's most important client? Identify what it is, and learn as much as you can about it.
Connect your audience and your product with benefits – Great marketers and salespeople understand that there's a distinct difference between features and benefits. This is because your audience cares about only one thing: "What's in it for me?" So, it's crucial to know the key differences:

Features are what your product or idea does. For instance, the new accounting software you want everyone to use is fast and easy, and it has real-time reporting. These are the features of the software.
Benefits are what those features mean to your audience. For instance, the accounting software's benefits are that people will have more time to do other tasks, they'll be less stressed when they're using the program, and they'll get up-to-date information from the system.

Features are boring, and people have to think quite hard to see the possibilities within them. But when you translate those features into benefits, you make an emotional connection with your audience.
When you're doing your pre-meeting preparation, focus on identifying the benefits of your idea or product, so that you can communicate that information to your audience.
Understand the needs of your target audience – Identify problems that your product or idea will help solve, and needs that it will address. This will directly impact the way you pitch, or sell, your idea. If you're speaking with people who are not in your industry, make sure you use words and terms they can understand.
Highlight your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) – People buy the best possible solution that meets their needs and their budget. Make sure that you highlight what makes your product, idea, or project uniquely relevant to them.




Tip:
The more you practice your presentation or pitch, the more comfortable you'll feel when you actually deliver it. Practice what you're going to say as much as possible.

During the "Pitch"
Here are a few guidelines to follow during your pitch:

Have a conversation – You want to connect with your audience, so your presentation or pitch should feel more like a conversation. It may be unappealing to your audience – and to you – to get up in front of people and "sell" them something. But you can talk enthusiastically about an idea or product that you really believe in, and you can then discuss how it will help your audience.
Ask questions – Involving your audience is key to keeping them engaged. If you meet with someone individually, like a client or your boss, then be sure to listen as much as you talk. If you're presenting to a group, invite questions at key stages during the presentation.
Focus on "helping" instead of "selling" – Consultative selling means that you identify what your audience needs. Focus on these, and keep your own goals and agenda out of the conversation.
Watch body language – Pay attention to everyone's body language during your pitch. If people start to look bored or move their hands and feet a lot, then you need to finish, or move onto the next part of your pitch.

Dealing with Objections
No matter what you're pitching, your audience will probably have some objections or reservations. If you haven't prepared for this, then it may cause you to become frustrated and lose some control. That's why knowing how to think on your feet to overcome these objections is so important.

It's helpful to realize that objections aren't a definite "no." They show that your audience is willing to ask questions and state their concerns. So, objections are your opportunity to address their fears, reassure them, and move forward positively.
Whenever your audience presents an objection, you should ask questions. For instance, if your boss says the new process you've created will be too expensive to implement right now, you may choose one of these responses:

"It is expensive, but how much does it cost us each week to deal with this issue? And if we do nothing, how much will it cost us over the next year?"
"You're right, this will be an expensive process to implement company-wide. What if we start with just one department to see how much it improves productivity?"

When you approach objections with questions, it helps you find the real root of the issue. It also shows your client or audience that you are aware of their concerns, and that you want to work with them to find a solution.
Closing the Sale
If you don't get a decision on the day, give your audience time to think about things. But don't leave this open-ended. Your chances of a successful sale drop dramatically if you don't get some kind of commitment from them.
So, as you're finishing your pitch, set a specific date or time to speak with them again. This will also give you the opportunity to tailor your pitch if required, based on any issues or objections they may have.
If you discover that your product or idea truly isn't a good fit with your audience, then withdraw gracefully. People rarely do this, so it may be a pleasant surprise to your audience, and they'll likely be more receptive the next time you speak to them.



Tip:
No matter what you're selling, there are going to be key stakeholders you need on your side for your idea or project to succeed. This is why stakeholder management is so important. These key players can make or break your sale!
Our article, Stakeholder Management , will help you learn how to manage your communication and relationship with these key players.


Key Points
Many of us need to use sales techniques sometimes. So, learning how to prepare and pitch your idea or product effectively is a great skill to have. As a non-salesperson, the consultative selling model is an effective model to use, because it uses trust and respect as its foundation.
A good rule for successful selling is to ensure that you put in plenty of preparation time. Practice your pitch, and make sure you fully understand the benefits, not just the features, of your product or idea.
Keep your pitch like a conversation, pay attention to body language for clues that your audience may be getting bored, and view objections as opportunities to put people's minds at rest.

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Imagine you're asked to give a television interview about your company's new 'green' initiatives.
Does the thought make you nervous?
What if you say the wrong thing?
What if you have no idea how to answer a question?
Or, what if your boss tells you to write a press release, and send it to local media outlets? How do you craft a compelling story or statement that journalists will actually want to write about?
Many people may feel daunted about working with the media. If you've never done an interview, or written a press release, you may feel as though you want to avoid putting yourself in the spotlight.
The right kind of media exposure can help your organization, and at some point, you may be put forward as a spokesperson, especially if you're an expert in your field.
If you work for a large company, you might have a communications department to help you write the press release or coach you through the interview process. If you're part of a smaller company, however, there may be no one to offer advice. If so, this article is for you.
Read on to discover the basics of writing a press release, and preparing for an interview.
Writing a Press Release
Many companies issue press releases all the time. A press release is simply a structured 'announcement' about something that's happening in your organization. It's a way to gain exposure for your company – but only if it's a story that's interesting enough to publish.
Press releases usually follow a specific format, so use these guidelines to create a successful one:

Know your topic – Before you begin writing, make sure you know exactly what you're writing about. Don't digress from your subject, or talk about several different points. Stay on one product, one person, one event, and so on.
Write a great headline – Start with a headline that gets attention. It's worth spending time on this, because it's what makes an editor or journalist want to read your press release in the first place. Make it interesting.
Summarize everything at the top – Use your opening paragraph to summarize who, what, when, where, and why. Think of this paragraph as an island – it should stand by itself, and tell the reader exactly what you'll discuss in the rest of the document.
Write about one topic per paragraph – The rest of the press release is the “main part, of your announcement. Talk about one point or detail in each paragraph. When you move on to another point, start a new paragraph.
Add your boilerplate at the end – This is the 'tagline' for your company. Put your name, contact information, and a very short (one paragraph) description of what your company does, where it operates, and perhaps when it was founded. These details are often included in the 'notes for editors' section at the end, and often serve as helpful background for the journalist writing the piece.

More Press Release Tips

Keep it short – Make your press release one page, if possible.
Remember the media's perspective – Editors and journalists aren't interested in giving your company free 'advertising'; they're just looking for a good story. So, write your press release with their perspective in mind.
Don't make it sound like an advertisement – Keep your sentences to the point, and don't use a lot of 'fluff' words, hype, or adjectives that you would normally use in sales material. Most importantly, steer well clear of jargon.
Have the correct contact information – If editors want to write a longer story, they should be able to contact someone easily in your company who can help them.
Start with the most important information – Editors are usually on tight deadlines, so are often short of time. To have any chance of an editor reading your press release, don't hide your most important point in paragraph seven; include it right at the start.
Quote the experts – If you have permission, include quotes from experts or important people in your company. This can add credibility to your press release, and make it more interesting.
Attach a photo – Sometimes including a picture or photograph with your press release can increase the chances that an editor might be interested in it. This is particularly the case with local or regional press.
Include links – If you're emailing a press release, then remember to include links to your website, email addresses, and any other background information that will make the journalist's life easier.
Let go of the outcome – You have no control whether your story will make it into print, or whether it will appear with the angle you'd intended. Remember that the editor's decision is final.


Giving a Television or Radio Interview
If you're asked to handle a television or radio interview, then preparing in advance will help you feel more confident. Get yourself ready for the microphone by doing the following:

Develop your answers, and research your data, in advance – If possible, find out what the reporter will ask you. This gives you time to prepare your answers, and research any statistics you might need to know. It's helpful to write down your main talking points, in case you need them during the interview.
Keep in mind that, although the reporter or news editor might provide you with a list of questions, there's a good chance they'll ask follow-up questions. So, don't be surprised if you get some questions that aren't on the list.
Know the intended audience – This helps you know what type of language to use in your interview, and how detailed you should be in your answers.
For example, if the show is for other businesspeople, then you can use basic industry terms – because people will probably know what you're talking about. If the program is for a more general audience, then don't use industry words and phrases that viewers or listeners may not know.
Establish a good rapport with the interviewer – Viewers and listeners can usually tell when people are uncomfortable, so be as warm and friendly as you can. Remember, interviewers usually don't want to 'trick' you into revealing something you don't mean to say. They want to do a good job, just like you. Sit up straight, take deep breaths, and look interested when the reporter asks you a question.
Keep your key message short and clear – Think in terms of 'soundbites' when you answer a question. In other words, make brief statements at the beginning of your answer that are easy to remember, and easy to repeat.
Make your answers stand alone – To do this, pretend that the audience didn't hear the question, so you have to answer in a way that makes your message clear all on its own.
For instance, consider the question “Why is your company trying so hard to go green?” One response could be “Because we really believe our customers will like it, and we think our decisions impact the environment.”
But a better response would be “Our company is going green because we really believe that our decisions have an impact in the world, and that our customers are going to like it.”
The second answer doesn't depend on the interviewer's question; it stands by itself. Answers like this can be much more useful in the editing process (when the interviewer's questions are sometimes edited out), and they make it easier for the audience to follow what you're saying.


More Interviewing Tips

Remember that everything is 'public' – You might not always know if the reporter's microphone is on or off. Never say anything 'off the record,' and never give information that you wouldn't want to be on the news.
Watch your 'um's and 'uh's – Try not to say 'uh,' or make other sounds as you're thinking of what to say. This rarely sounds good to the listener.
Be pleasant – Media interviews are a great way to build your reputation. Smile, have lots of energy, and keep eye contact with the reporter. This person is talking to you for a reason – you're the expert.
Dress appropriately – If you're going to be on television, consider what you'll wear. Avoid anything that might take away from your message (for example, big jewelry or bright clothing). Block colors generally work better than loud patterns. Whatever you wear, dress professionally.
Don't move around a lot – Keep your movements to a minimum. Small things – like rubbing your hands, or tapping your feet – tend to be much more noticeable on camera. If you're nervous, keep your hands together, and your feet crossed.
Don't talk too much – It's not your job to fill up all of the interview time, so you don't have to keep talking. Some people get into trouble because they continue to say more and more. Say what you need to say to make your point, and then stop.
Never lie or guess – If you don't know the answer, or if you shouldn't give the answer (due to confidentiality, for example), then tell the reporter. If you're asked again, be firm. You have the right not to answer every single question.
Correct the interviewer, if necessary – Don't let the interviewer say something that's inaccurate, or misinterpret something you or the company said or did. Correct it immediately. Don't become angry, but be firm and assertive.


Key Points
You can make the media work for you. Most of the time, reporters just want a good story. If you prepare in advance, you can give them one – and you can also help build your reputation and your career. If you deliver a good interview, you may even be invited back!
Know the audience, and try to get interview questions in advance. During the interview, sit still, smile, and make your points clearly. Say what you need to say, and then stop. And always dress – and act – professionally.

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