The Manager’s Playbook: The problem with 'constructive' feedback.
I have a problem with 'constructive' feedback.
There, I've said it! For those who know me, within the context of leadership development, will know that this is something I have rather strong feelings about - which, with only minimal prompting, has the potential to bring out my portable, invisible soapbox.
So, what's the problem? Firstly, to be clear, I wholeheartedly believe that feedback is a good thing and we don’t do enough of it.
My issue is with the term 'constructive', as I think it brings with it a variety of unhelpful connotations that create unnecessary emotional baggage. I think it is time we examine them and move on.
Let me set out my case for ditching the word 'constructive' from our feedback conversations :
Exhibit A
My first issue with 'constructive' feedback is that by describing a particular piece of feedback as 'constructive', it implies by its very nature that there is such a thing as 'un-constructive feedback'; as if there is an option B available when talking to someone about their performance.
Whilst there is many a sub-standard Manager out there that peddles unhelpful performance-related information on a regular basis, let’s just be honest and recognise that is just not feedback. Instead, it's criticism, it's offloading, it's an ego trip, it's messenger-centric rather than recipient-centric.
So, let's just put a stake in the ground and say, if it's not 'constructive', it's just not feedback.
Exhibit B
'Constructive' as a euphemism for 'negative' feedback. So often I hear people referring to 'positive' feedback and 'constructive' feedback, or even better, 'motivational' feedback.
We dance around the idea of delivering a message, which at its core is saying you didn’t deliver, you didn’t meet standard. Or, at its most basic level, whatever you did just didn’t quite work out.
My issue here, related to the above point, is that ALL feedback should be constructive – whether someone failed, met or exceeded expectations. Without a 'constructive' element to the conversation, i.e. what needs to change or be reinforced, it’s just praise, criticism or noise. It is not feedback.
Exhibit C
My final issue with the term 'constructive' feedback (for today), is that it just comes with sooooooooo much baggage.
Many leaders live with a legacy of personally not receiving much feedback throughout their career. If they did, at best it was probably delivered badly and left them feeling confused, disengaged and demotivated. At worst, enraged, furious, heartbroken or immediately updating their LinkedIn profile and sending out their CV to prospective new employers!
Don’t even get me started on the watercooler horror stories that leaders scare each other with. Of how they heard of someone, who knew someone, who knows someone who had their team member cry, erupt into a furious rage, shout, swear, throw things, storm out, etc (delete as appropriate).
The result is a generation of leaders living in fear of an unknown and uncontrollable reaction to a piece of information that they haven’t even delivered yet. The good leaders want to give feedback, but the fear of getting it wrong – and it not being 'constructive' - has them all tied up in knots, worried that they are going to upset someone. So, they procrastinate and the feedback ends up not happening at all.
A solution. Let's go back to basics
My impassioned argument behind this article is a plea to say let's go back to basics and reconnect with the core essence of what feedback really is (and why we don’t need to call it 'constructive').
Let's be clear that there are only ever two reasons for giving feedback:
To reinforce behaviour, i.e., you want a person to continue doing something
To change behaviour, i.e., you want a person to stop or do less of something
“Feedback is about providing people with information, to enable them to make a choice”
Now that's settled (although here's me hoping that it already was), I'd like us all to remember that:
At its simplest level, feedback is information
That information gives people a choice – to carry on or to do something different
A failure to provide that information takes away that choice.
Feedback is about providing people with information, to enable them to make a choice. That's it! Nothing more, nothing less.… and that is why I dislike the term 'constructive' feedback. I believe it is an unhelpful label that dresses up and over-complicates things. It brings confusion and unnecessary emotional baggage to many leaders just trying to do the right thing, but don’t know where to start or are worried about getting it wrong.
So, let us ditch the 'constructive' label, go back to basics and just talk about feedback.
Disclaimer: I know there is a fair bit to be said about what good feedback looks like, i.e., evidence-based, timely, interactive, etc. which I will happily cover another time. The purpose of this article is to advocate for the need to go back to basics, remember why we are giving feedback in the first place and ditch unhelpful labels.
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