A small bonus, maybe even some kind of celebration at the office. Traditionally, those are a couple of ways employers try to reward an employee who's done something exceptionally well.
Well, as it turns out, the folks at Zenger Folkman say 57 percent of those surveyed preferred corrective feedback in contrast to the 43 percent who prefer praise or recognition.
In other words, according to the Orem, Utah-based leadership development firm, if you're going to give feedback at all, be sure it's of the corrective nature, rather than merely another slap on the back.
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Why is it more people prefer to hear the negative rather than the positive?
When asked what was most helpful, fully 72 percent of respondents said they thought their performance would improve if managers would provide corrective feedback.
Zenger Folkman says most employees assume bosses really don't mind pointing out what's wrong, but its data revealed this is false. Giving negative or corrective feedback is something that people often avoid. Some feel anxious about delivering bad news or knowing the appropriate way to correct someone, the firm said.
"People believe constructive criticism is essential to their career development. They want it from their leaders," said Jack Zenger, CEO of Zenger Folkman, "but their leaders often don't feel comfortable offering it up.
"From this we conclude that the ability to give corrective feedback constructively is one of the critical keys to leadership, an essential skill to boost your team's performance that could set you apart."
So have those tough conversations. It'll be good for all concerned.
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