Feedforward vs Feedback: Elevate Your Leadership Approach
At Leader Loop, we believe that feedback is a crucial part of the performance management cycle. This tip sits in the people managing and coaching pillar on the Leader Loop Competency Roadmap. It helps teams understand where they stand and what they need to improve. However, we’re huge proponents of a technique called feedforward, which we find and studies have shown to be even more effective than traditional feedback. Let’s dive into why feedforward can make a world of difference for high-performing teams.
What It Is
Feedforward is all about looking ahead. Instead of focusing on past mistakes, feedforward provides constructive advice aimed at improving future performance. It’s a proactive approach that highlights what can be done better moving forward, fostering a positive and growth-oriented mindset.
The Problem with Traditional Feedback
Traditional feedback often zeroes in on what went wrong. While it’s necessary to understand mistakes, this backward-looking approach can lead to defensiveness and decreased morale. No one enjoys feeling criticized, and constant focus on errors can create an environment of fear and anxiety. This, in turn, stifles creativity and hampers overall team performance.
The Feedforward Solution and How to Approach It
Feedforward shifts the narrative from past errors to future opportunities. Here’s how to make feedforward a key part of your team’s culture:
- Identify Specific Areas for Improvement: Focus on concrete skills or behaviors that can be enhanced. Avoid generalizations.
- Be Constructive and Positive: Use encouraging language. For example, rather than saying, “Stop doing X,” say, “Try doing Y for better results.”
- Engage in a Dialogue: Make it a two-way conversation. Encourage team members to share their thoughts and ideas for improvement.
- Set Clear Expectations: Outline clear, achievable goals and steps to reach them.
What Feedforward Unlocks for the Team and Business Performance
By incorporating feedforward, you can transform team dynamics and elevate performance:
- Enhanced Motivation and Morale: When employees feel supported, they’re more engaged and satisfied with their jobs.
- Increased Creativity and Innovation: A positive, forward-thinking environment encourages employees to think creatively and take risks.
- Better Communication and Collaboration: Open, constructive dialogue fosters a collaborative team culture.
- Improved Performance and Productivity: Focused, actionable advice helps employees quickly adapt and improve their skills, leading to better overall performance.
Example: Feedforward vs. Feedback in an E-commerce Merchandising Team
Scenario: A manager is working with a team member responsible for product listings and descriptions on an ecommerce site. Recently, there have been some errors in the product descriptions that have led to customer confusion.
Traditional Feedback Approach:
- Manager: “You made several mistakes in the product descriptions last week. This caused confusion for our customers and increased the return rate. You need to be more careful and double-check your work.”
Feedforward Approach:
- Manager: “I noticed some issues with the product descriptions last week. To improve in the future, consider creating a checklist to ensure all necessary details are included and accurate before publishing. Additionally, it might be helpful to review the descriptions against our style guide to maintain consistency. How do you think these steps could work for you?”
Comparison:
- Feedback focuses on past mistakes and can make the team members feel criticized and defensive.
- Feedforward provides specific, actionable suggestions for future improvement and involves the team members in the solution, fostering a sense of collaboration and support.
The gist, by embracing feedforward, your team can move beyond the limitations of traditional feedback. This approach unlocks a path to continuous improvement, innovation, and higher performance, setting the stage for your team’s success.
About Leader Loop: Leader Loop crafts actionable, competency-focused articles to accelerate your career growth. Our expert-written content provides practical strategies for leadership, team management, and professional development. Whether you’re a seasoned manager or an ambitious individual contributor, our articles deliver the insights you need to excel in today’s workplace.
