The Art of Wise Feedback

I regularly ask myself, “If I got hit by a bus, what would my company be missing?” As we’ve grown, the list is shorter than it used to be, but the first entry on it is “Chief Motivation Officer.”

Let’s face it:  work can be tough.  And people need to have someone around who can motivate them through the hard times and celebrate the good times. I’m obsessed with how to motivate people and hope that I’m pretty good at it.

While reading The Wall Street Journal, I happened upon a wonderful article about how to give feedback to Gen Z. If you are a manager, you’ve probably had challenges with the Zs – or another new generation that has a different belief system than the one you grew up with.

Just like there are differences in what typically motivates people of different genders, there are subtle approaches that tend to work well for each generation. I have always recognized that in order to have the best talent, I need to mold my style to fit them rather than the other way around. So, I continually mold and morph and learn.  That’s why this story stopped me in my tracks.

The article was about “wise feedback” and how it has proven to be more effective than any other kind of feedback when it comes to our youngest colleagues.  It’s a simple concept that says that Gen Zs are happy to receive critical feedback and be held to the highest standards when they understand you are delivering that feedback because you recognize and believe in their potential.

A simple framing that says “I am giving you this feedback because I have high standards, and I know you can reach them”  somehow increases not just the listening but the positive processing.  I’m a Gen Xer and grew up being barked at, yelled at and being told my work product sucked when it did.  I didn’t like it, but I was more than willing to take it and do better next time.

Thankfully, we don’t live in that world anymore.  We live in a world in which young people have realized they have choices and rights and are just as deserving of respect as their older colleagues.  They have forced a different leadership style, which frankly I love.  And despite any qualms I have had with the Zs, I generally agree with their approach.  Wise feedback is wise.  I love it!

When people understand they are valued, they are motivated.  When people feel appreciated, they are inspired.  What this article points out is that the toughest of feedback is most effective when coupled with a sincere belief in someone’s potential.  It’s amazing that something so simple could deliver the ultimate in motivation.

Follow Jen’s Leading in Volatile Times Newsletter on LinkedIn.