Someone once posted the following, “What is the shortest word in the English language that contains the letters: abcdef? The answer is feedback. Don’t forget that feedback is one of the essential elements of good communication.”
I doubt many would dispute the observation. But the other thing we need to consider is how people want to receive feedback.
Some time ago I helped a dentist and one of his new team members resolve some issues. One issue originated from something seemingly innocent: the dentist offered positive feedback to the team member during a morning meeting. The team member, however, was shy, and she cringed during the experience, but the dentist never noticed. Each time the dentist offered positive feedback to the team member in front of everyone, he was unknowingly doing more harm than good.
We resolved the misunderstanding, and when we finished the dentist wanted to know how to avoid this in the future. The key, which is something we can all benefit from, is to take time to learn how your team wants to receive feedback. Take time to learn how to tailor your feedback appropriately.
Social team members, for example, often appreciate face-to-face feedback instead of something written, and they often appreciate sharing the feedback with the team. Innovative employees like to see how their contribution fits into the big picture of the practice. Analytical team members often want to know their contribution made a difference, and it’s not uncommon for them to want the whole team rewarded.
Since positive feedback is fundamental for building stronger teams, it’s wise for us to learn how to give feedback effectively. Spend a few minutes with each team member to make sure the positive feedback you give is hitting the mark.
Learn more about how our dental consulting helps you build stronger teams.