Performance feedback is an essential part of being a manager, or so we have been led to believe. Yet, the traditional approach to feedback, where managers point out areas where employees have fallen short, is not very effective. While this type of feedback may have good intentions, it often leads to employees becoming demotivated and feeling discouraged about their work. However, there is a better way to provide feedback: the strength-based approach. This method focuses on highlighting an employee’s strengths and working with them to develop those strengths further.
The Problem with Traditional Performance Feedback
Feedback is often viewed as a way to address and improve upon employees’ weaknesses. However, this approach may do more harm than good. When focusing on shortcomings, employees can become demotivated and anxious, which can lead to poor job performance and potentially even health issues.
Additionally, research has shown that feedback can trigger the fight-or-flight response in the brain. In one study, brain scans showed that when students were asked about their homework, what they were doing wrong, and how they could fix their mistakes, a fight-or-flight response was triggered in their brains. This response narrowed their focus and made it difficult for them to make progress.
The Landry approach to feedback
The Landry approach to feedback, named after the legendary football coach Tom Landry, centers on focusing on what was done right rather than what was done wrong. When watching game tapes with a player, Landry would not focus on what the player did wrong but rather on what he did right. He understood that there are countless ways to do something incorrectly, so why not focus on the areas in which the player excelled?
Furthermore, the Landry approach is based on the understanding that excellence is intertwined with whoever demonstrates it. Landry was known for identifying the unique strengths of his players and then developing those strengths further. By focusing on a player’s strengths, Landry was able to identify a small universe that was controlled by the player, and he would work with that player to develop their strengths even more.
Implementing the Landry approach
If you want to implement the Landry approach to feedback in your workplace, here are some tips on how to get started.
Instead of using the generic phrase “good job,” you can use specific language such as “Here are the things you did that worked for me”. This type of language highlights successes and reinforces the actions that led to those successes.
When providing feedback, it can be helpful to ask employees about their thought process. Specifically, ask them what they were thinking when they did something successfully. This approach allows employees to reflect on their strengths while also giving the manager a better understanding of how to work with the employee to further develop those strengths.
Traditional feedback approaches may have good intentions, but they often leave employees feeling deflated and demotivated. Focusing on an employee’s weaknesses can trigger the fight-or-flight response in the brain and limit an employee’s ability to grow and develop. In contrast, the strength-based approach, such as the Landry approach, focuses on what employees excel at and how those strengths can be developed further. By using specific language and asking about an employee’s thought process, managers can help their employees reach their full potential.