How to facilitate feedback from employees?

"If you do your job correctly, there will be sufficient ongoing communication so that all your employees know what is expected of them and how well or poorly they are doing."

Below are 6 steps approach to facilitate feedback:

1. Identify successes and failures - Be specific. Don't tell an employee he or she is too often. Instead, tell him the exact number of times he or she has been late during a defined period. Be equally specific when offering praise, such as the amount of money or time a worker has saved the company. When talking to employees, focus on the action rather than on your conclusions.
2. Stop talking and start listening - Ask employees to respond to your observations and pay careful attention to their words and body language; ask questions as necessary to make sure they have had a full opportunity to get their views across. If you don't listen to what an employee has to say, it's less likely he or she will listen to what you have to say.
3. Discuss the implications of behaviour - If you are dealing with problem behaviour, convey the probable outcomes in clear and unmistakable terms. Likewise, let performing employees know if they are on target to receive a bonus or other recognition. Specific information about consequences provides employees with benchmarks against which to asses and adjust their behaviour.
4. Link past accomplishments to needed changes - Look for areas where the employees has been successful and point out how the traits that led to those successes can be applied to areas that need improvement. Don't just offer exhortations; build an employee's confidence by letting him know exactly why you think he or she will be able to handle whatever tasks are at issue. Explain how current workplace requirements are related to his previous accomplishments.
5. Agree on an action plan - Ask employees what steps he or she can take to address issues that have been identified. Solicit his or her suggestions. This is a powerful tactic because people are most likely to follow through on their own ideas than on what they are told to do by someone else.
6. Follow up - Set a date and time to meet again for a formal review on progress related to the action plan. But don't wait for that date to stay engaged with the employee. Instead, use the development of the action plan as the starting point for the more regular, informal feedback sessions that distinguish a good manager. Let employees know when they are on plan and when they might be falling short.

Instead of continually reprimanding your employees, who are fighting the battle for you in the front line, talk quite specifically about how that employee needs to improve. Give employee a goal to work toward, not a legacy to overcome. Your ultimate goal "is to energize and excite people about the role you need them to play and the development they need to go through".

Remember: Employees are your core asset in a successful business.