Feed Forward Activity

Instructions

S‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‌hared Practice: Feed Forward Activity Giving and receiving feedback in a formal performance appraisal can be a task that managers consider unpleasant and employees view as unhelpful.

The added paperwork, the challenges of appropriately incentivizing performance with pay or promotion, the lack of actionable feedback given or received: all of these cause managers and their charges to view traditional feedback paradigms with cynicism and skepticism. Is there another way to integrate feedback into the workplace without dampening enthusiasm?

On his website, Marshall Goldsmith discusses some of the limitations of traditional feedback: “it focuses on the past, on what has already occurred—not on the infinite variety of opportunities that can happen in the future. As such, feedback can be limited and static, as opposed to expansive and dynamic” (Goldsmith, 2002).

In response to the many limitations he identifies in the feedback process, he has developed an alternative: feedforward. In this Shared Practice, you will have the opportunity to experiment with the feedforward method and examine its potential effectiveness. Create a post that describes your experience using feed forward.

Explain how you might use this tool as a manager in your current organization or in the future, as well as the potential challenges or limitations you see in using the feed forward technique.

Resources Baek-Kyoo (Brian), J., Sushko, J. S., & McLean, G. N. (2012). Multiple faces of coaching: Manager-as-coach, executive coaching, and formal mentoring. Organization Development Journal, 30(1), 19–38.

Belschak, F. D., & Den Hartog, D. N. (2009). Consequences of positive and negative feedback: The Impact on emotions and extra-role behaviors. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 58(2), 274–303.

Cannon, M. D., & Witherspoon, R. (2005). Actionable feedback: Unlocking the power‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‌ of learning and performance improvement. Academy Of Management Executive, 19(2), 120–134.

Feedback: Annoying noise or effective management tool? (2010, February). Payroll Manager’s Report, 10(2), 1–12.

Gabarro J., & Kotter, J. (2005). Managing your boss. Harvard Business Review, 83(1), 92–99. Retrieved from hhttps://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/pl/71750113/71750123/846b643fb5586da6dd0b54b590f14399Hicks, R., & McCracken, J. (2013). Popcorn coaching. Physician Executive, 39(1), 85–87. Hicks, R. (2011). How to give difficult feedback. Physician Executive, 37(3), 84–87. Kish-Gephart, J., Detert, J., Treviño, L., & Edmondson, A. (2009). Silenced by fear: The nature, sources, and consequences of fear at work. Research in Organizational Behavior, 29, 163–193. Meister, J. C., & Willyerd, K. (2010). Mentoring millennials. Harvard Business Review, 88(5), 68–72. Retrieved from https://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cbmp/pl/71750113/71750137/a029ea87133d24f30960a89d116565fePayne, V. (2007). Delivering coaching feedback. In Coaching for High Performance (pp. 79–95). New York, NY: American Management Association International. Russell, J., & Russell, L. (2010). Talk me through it: The next level of performance management. Training and Development, 64(4), 42–48. Topchik, G. S. (2004). The platinum skill of giving and receiving feedback. In Accidental Manager (pp. 99–127). New York, NY: American Management Association International. Goldsmith, M. (2002). Try feedforward instead of feedback. Retrieved from https://www.marshallgoldsmith.com/articles/try-feedforward-instead-feedback/ Marshall Goldsmith, a renowned expert on leadership and management practices, discusses in this article some of the problems with traditional methods of giving feedback. He offers an alternative method that can be used by man‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‌agers, which he calls feedforward.