How I Discovered the Secret to Giving Feedback in the Workplace
Here’s how to talk to your employees so they actually change their behavior
My first real corporate job was at a fantastic company for training and development. Well, maybe more passionate than fantastic. I remember when they tried to teach us about trust. We lined up in the hall.
They blindfolded all but one of us. We each put a hand on the shoulder of the person in front of us. Then had the leader, who wasn’t part of the blind-folded conga line, talked us through the halls of the building. “Trust” didn’t make it past the training room.
They taught us about Dr W. Edwards Deming, a famous management guru. He spent years in Japan and brought back to the US total quality management philosophies. He used statistical quality control methods to drive continuous improvement. These methods were the one thing the company actually taught and used religiously.
They trained us on how to receive “the gift of feedback.” We were called to the front of the room one at a time and handed a wrapped gift. Then someone else told us, well, something.
All I really remember was holding this beautifully wrapped empty box in front of 50 strangers. I don’t remember them teaching us when or how to give feedback…
