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Organizational Communication and the Importance of Feedback

Everyone wants to know the truth, no matter how difficult it is to hear.
Joseph Folkman, Forbes Magazine
One of the most difficult challenges within organizational communication is the process of
giving, receiving, and integrating feedback. On the surface it may seem straightforward: an
employee or a department sends out information or communicates in a way that is difficult to
understand, therefore feedback is given and the behaviour changes. These oversimplifications,
combined with the fear of seeming critical, make integrating feedback in organizations more
difficult than it appears. Cynthia Phoel of Harvard Business Review notes, Most managers say
they dislike giving feedback and dont think its as effective as it could be. Those on the
receiving end say they dont get enough feedback they can actually use (Phoel, 2009). There
appears to be a gap whereby the idea of feedback seems widely accepted and yet rarely practiced
effectively.
In an organization that follows the goal orientation model, all systems are goal oriented, and
through the process of feedback (both positive and negative) they are able to adjust their
activities in order to maintain progression toward their goal (Mumby, 2015, p. 114). Therefore
the integration of feedback, whether it be positive or constructive, is crucial in the achievement
of goals. Feedback is often given in one context or another, whether it be through performance
evaluations or company-wide surveys. However, it is rare that the feedback actually gets
integrated in an effective way, especially when it comes to feedback about organizational
leadership. If an organization is highly profit-driven, or even customer-oriented, the only
feedback that many are interested in is from the public, consumers, or investors.
In a research project conducted at the Marshall Goldsmith School of Management, each
participant received feedback on his or her strengths and developmental needs and worked with a
coach to create an action plan for improvement (Nooravi, 2009, p. iv). Interestingly, the top area
for improvement out of the thirty-three participants was communication, at sixty-three percent.
What the research suggests is that managers and leaders are not receiving enough frequent and
accurate feedback about their strategy. More specifically, their communication style is one of the
things that subordinates struggle with the most.
The imbalanced feedback is partially to do with the power structures that are in place in almost
any established organization. Although this top down hierarchy pervades many workplaces,
leaders still have a choice as to whether they seek feedback and are open to incorporating it. The
idea of continuous and honest feedback stands in stark contrast to the bureaucratic models that
still define many organizations. However, the rise of different Human Resource Management
practices has created a more participatory culture in many workplaces. Employees are often
invited to give anonymous feedback about their superiors, and if those leaders are open to
receiving it, it can benefit the whole organization.
As Joseph Folkman of Forbes Magazine writes: Rather than being fearful of feedback, the best
leaders are comfortable receiving information about their behavior from their bosses, their
colleagues and their subordinates (Folkman, 2013).

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Sources
Folkman, J. (2014). The Best Gift Leaders Can Give: Honest Feedback. Forbes Magazine.
Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/joefolkman/2013/12/19/the-best-gift-leaders-cangive-honest-feedback/#6ea1b3f2237b
Mumby, D. (2013). Organizational Communication: A Critical Approach. Thousand Oaks:
SAGE Publications, Inc.
Nooravi, S. S. (2010). Transforming high-silo, low-feedback organizational cultures: Using 360degree feedback and coaching to maximize potential in individuals, groups, and cultures.
Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.royalroads.ca/docview/305249878?pqorigsite=summon
Phoel, C. (2009). Feedback that Works. Harvard Business Review. Retrived from
https://hbr.org/2009/04/feedback-that-works/