Peer Feedback

ABHIMANYU SINGH RATHORE

Importance of Peer Feedback

Challenges of Peer Feedback

Topics to be Avoided

A peer often has greater visibility into a coworker's day-to-day work than a manager

Peers may have greater insight into peers performance

Peers have a greater opportunity to provide feedback in the moment than the manager

A D V A N T A G E S B E N E F I T S

Create a Supportive Work Environment

Support Better Team Performance

Facilitate Knowledge Transfer

Importance of Peer Feedback

Challenges of Peer Feedback

Topics to be Avoided

Challenges Authority

Manager Feedback
Managers have formal authority over their direct reports. Managers have influence due to control over their direct reports rewards, promotions, compensation, etc.

Peer Feedback
Peers do not have formal authority over each other and thus, do not feel obligated or comfortable providing peer feedback. Peers have less influence because they have little or no control over each others rewards, promotions, compensation, etc.

Influence

Expectation

Both the organization and employees expect managers to give their direct reports feedback on their work
Managers are more experienced at providing informal feedback to their direct reports and are more likely to receive training on how to provide feedback.

Peers do not expect to give and receive feedback from each other.

Experience/ Training

Many peers are not as experienced at giving each other informal feedback and are less likely to receive training on how to provide feedback.

Importance of Peer Feedback

Challenges of Peer Feedback

Topics to be Avoided

Violations of company policy Illegal activity at work Extremely negative feedback Chronic behavioral or work problems Any topic that makes the employee feel uncomfortable Feedback related to a project in which the provider is not involved Feedback that is personal or non-work-related

Employee should report to manager or HR representative

Why Should I Provide Feedback?

Am I Qualified to Provide Feedback?

How Should I Present Feedback?

Peer reviews, as part of an employees formal review process, are used to inform talent decisions, such as promotions and pay increases. Peer feedback gives managers visibility into aspects of an employees performance that they might not otherwise be aware of. Peer reviews provide a formal process for an employee to highlight a colleague's strengths and/or development areas that he/she believe managers should be aware of. An employees unique interactions with a peer allows him\her to offer examples of strengths and/or development areas that other employees might not be aware of.

Why Should I Provide Feedback?

Am I Qualified to Provide Feedback?

How Should I Present Feedback?

Before beginning a peer review, consider the questions below to determine whether you are qualified to give an effective peer review for a colleague.

Identify Whether You Are Qualified to Provide a Peer Review Consider your knowledge of an employees work, not just formal associations, such as being on the same team:
Yes Do you have regular work-related interactions with this employee? Did you work with this employee on a shared project or toward a common goal? Do you have visibility into this employees work, skills, and knowledge? Do you have knowledge of the impact of this employees work? Have you worked with this employee long enough to identify their work ethic and patterns? No

If you answered yes to at least two of the above questions, you should feel comfortable in providing performance feedback

Why Should I Provide Feedback?

Am I Qualified to Provide Feedback?

How Should I Present Feedback?

Specific
Feedback should reference specific actions the peer took or specific pieces of their work. Dont use ambiguous language

Relevant
Feedback should be relevant to a peers job, within the peers power to improve, and within the specified timeframe of the review.
Do not say: X is very active in the community and contributes to a number of worthwhile causes. Do not say: Y is no fun and has no sense of humor.

Constructive
Frame a problem as an opportunity for the peer to improve their performance.

Example

X stays late, comes in early, gets his tasks done on time, and never complains about having too much work, is more helpful than X is committed to his/her job.

Do say: Xs presentations are often unprofessional and disorganized. I think he might benefit from enrolling in a PowerPoint course.

Tips

Describe actions a peer has demonstrated to achieve results, not just the results themselves. Cite specific instances when a peer has demonstrated a particular trait, even if the peer review does not ask you to list those examples.

Only list issues and examples which fall within the time frame of the review. Remember that you are reviewing a peers job performance, not their sociability or personal views unless they affect his or her job performance.

View the review as an opportunity to help your peer improve his or her job performance. Avoid using words like weakness or failure.

Why Should I Provide Feedback?

Am I Qualified to Provide Feedback?

How Should I Present Feedback?

Balanced
Be sure to highlight both positive and negative aspects about a peers performance.

Professional
Review your peer in a professional manner. Derisions or slander about an employees character are inappropriate. X fails to complete tasks on time, rather than, employee X is lazy and doesnt care about his/her work. Refrain from using pejorative language. Be objective your personal relationship with the peer should not impede your judgment of their work. Dont discuss your review with other colleagues unless asked by your manager.

Value Adding
If possible, highlight strengths and areas of improvement that may be beyond your managers or other coworkers ability to observe. X often volunteers to teach other employees how they can do their job better.

Example

X is smart and dedicated, but also could improve on his attention to detail.

Tips

Offer a balanced perspective and dont focus solely on development areas or strengths. Consider to what extent your peer is responsible for poor performance before identifying areas in need of improvement

Think of projects or tasks in which you and your peer worked together exclusively, and offer examples from these experiences in your review.

Steps to Delivering Peer Feedback

Step 1: State your observation of peers behavior. Example: I noticed that you forgot about our team brainstorming session. Step 2: State the impact of the behavior on the team, the project, the department, or the organization. Example: When you skip brainstorming sessions, you miss out on important details and the team loses your valuable insights. Step 3: Suggest actions the peer could take that would improve the outcome next time. Example: Ive been thinking that putting these brainstorming sessions on your calendar might help you remember next time. Step 4: Obtain agreement on a plan of action from your peer. Example: What do you think? Do you think this will help you manage your schedule better?

Source: International Association of Fire Chiefs, Crew Resource Management: A Positive Change, 2002

Encouraging Employees For Peer Feedback

Encourage employees not to . . .
Take it personally. Employees should avoid becoming defensive or argumentative when receiving feedback. Guess what vague feedback means. It is very likely that the guess will be incorrect.

Encourage employees to . . .
View feedback as an opportunity to learn about themselves professionally. Ask clarifying questions. Employees should ask for examples if the feedback provider is being vague in order to better understand the providers concerns and suggestions for improvement.

Demand or expect feedback from your peers.

Ignore the feedback and continue behaving in opposition to the feedback provided.

Be proactive in seeking out feedback, but do not demand it.

Reflect on the feedback and apply the feedback to improve day-to-day performance.

Handling Negative Reactions to Peer Feedback

Common Reactions to Negative Performance Feedback
Resistance/Denial The peer may refuse to acknowledge the issue, deny that the incidents took place, or downplay the impact of his/her actions. Indifference The peer reacts to the feedback in an apathetic manner and does not fully commit to doing things differently.

Lack of Confidence The peer is uncertain in his/her ability to succeed or is riskaverse.

Responsibility Skirting The peer may acknowledge the negative feedback but may play the blame game, indirectly implying that he/she will not change.

Backlash/Retaliation Hostility/Anger The peer becomes angry and speaks impulsively or reacts in an emotional way. The peer lashes out at you through retaliatory actions such as arguing, sabotage, refusal to cooperate in the future, or extreme criticism of your work.

Tips to Minimize Negative Reactions

Phrase the Feedback Accurately and Objectively

Ensure that you use supporting examples to deliver feedback. Be sure that your feedback is presented objectively and is based only on your observations of the peers behavior. Let your peer vent his/her feelings about the feedback. Allow the peer to share his/her true reactions and emotions with you. Observe the peers choice of words, tone, and facial expressions to assess his/her emotions and respond accordingly. If the peer acts shocked, aggressive, or defensive, maintain your composure. Be respectful of the peers reactions and end the conversation if necessary. Consider reporting the incident to your manager.

Allow the Peer to Speak Openly and Do Not Interrupt

Observe Signs of Emotional Reactions

Remain Calm and Composed, and Handle the Situation with Care

Common Peer Reactions and Appropriate Responses

Peer Reaction

Sample Peer Statement

Guidelines for Response

Do: Be sure to state the impact of the peers behavior on the team, project, or department Provide sufficient examples to support your feedback Gauge the peers reasons for resistance Ask the peer to consider your feedback and end the discussion if the he/she is being pointlessly resistant Dont: Get aggravated with the peers open hostility and resistance to your feedback Soften your feedback to alleviate the reaction Attack the peers personality based on his/her reaction Do: Ask the peer to reflect on the development areas and confirm whether he/she is able to commit to them Discuss the impact the peers behavior will have on the team if they do not commit to changing Dont: Overlook the peers indifference and noncommitment toward the feedback Lose patience with the peer Judge the peer for being apathetic

Sample Response

I dont know what youre talking about. I provide great customer service! Resistance/ Denial I do not accept your feedback regarding my project management skills. The incident you cited did not take place.

Lets review the examples I gave of areas where I see an opportunity for improvement. Would you like to take some time to reflect on what Ive just said? Im happy to talk more about this later on if you have any questions. This is an opportunity for you to improve your performance. Disregarding it will continue to impact the team further down the line.

Maybe; Ill see what I can do. Indifference I cant make any promises, but Ill try. Sure, whatever you say.

I think if you committed to developing yourself in this area, the team/project would benefit in the following ways:... I hope you will consider my feedback because I think it will benefit you in the long run.

Peer Reaction

Sample Peer Statement

Guidelines for Response

Sample Response

Lack of Confidence/ Self-Pity

I dont know how to fix this. I knew this would happen; I can never do anything correctly.

Do: Give the peer time alone to regain composure, if necessary Highlight that this is an opportunity to improve Reiterate that you are not trying to attack him/her Assure the peer that improvement is possible with effortuse past examples of his/her successful development Reassure him/her that you will offer support Provide examples of small steps the peer can take toward improvement Refer the peer to the employee assistance program (EAP), if appropriate Dont: Focus on the peers past inability to achieve outcomes Moderate your feedback to alleviate the reaction Reflect the peers negative attitude

Now that we have identified this area for development, it is an opportunity for you to improve your performance. I firmly believe you are capable of achieving this goal. Ive seen you achieve similar development goals in the past, for example You can always reach out to me for support in this area. This was a developmental area for me in the past. These are some of the steps I took to improve in this area. I really believe that you are capable of taking these steps too.

Its not my fault Responsibility Skirting Im sorry, but when people ask such basic questions it is very annoying.

Do: Listen to the peers reasons and situation Restate the examples Clarify that if the peer improves in this area, it will help the team out in several ways. Provide examples. Dont: Agree with the peer when he/she blames other people Change your perspective if the reasons or excuses are not valid

I know this might be difficult for you to focus on, but the fact remains that we all need to work productively with each other. I know there have been a lot of changes recently, but we all need to support those changes by adjusting our behaviors at work.

Peer Reaction

Sample Peer Statement

Guidelines for Response Do: Acknowledge the fact that the peer is not satisfied with the feedback Restate examples. Explain your perspective Reiterate the impact that the peers behavior at work is having on the team, project, or department Refer the employee to the employee assistance program (EAP), if appropriate Dont: Attack the peers personality based on his/her reaction Become defensive Moderate your feedback to alleviate the reaction Do: State that your feedback is based on your observations of his/her behaviors at work Reiterate the impact that the peers behavior at work is having on the team, project, or department Report the incident to your manager if the peer begins to engage in sabotage or is refusing to cooperate with you or the team in the future

Sample Response

Hostility/ Anger

This is not fair! I always knew you didnt like me, but this is unreasonable.
Ive been working so hard to meet all of my project deadlines, and this is what I get to hear?

I can see that you are upset with what Ive just said. I would like to hear your opinion. If I understand correctly, you are angry because you feel that I am being unreasonable, and that I don't have any confidence in your abilities. Is that correct? Let me explain what I think happened so you can understand my opinion. Then we can work this out together."

Backlash/ Retaliation

Well, youre not very good at expense reports either so why should I listen to your feedback about mine? I thought we were on the same team! Im not helping you with your sales calls anymore.

I am aware that I am not a perfect employee either. I want to you to know that I value any accurate feedback you can provide me on my work too. I did not say this to point out your flaws. I want our team to be able to help each other out and sometimes that includes giving each other negative feedback.

Dont: Become defensive Moderate your feedback to alleviate the reaction Continue the cycle of retaliation

Sources: Resker, Jamie, Three Keys to Reducing Defensive Reactions to Feedback, Employee Performance Solutions, http://www.employeeperformancesolutions.com/Portals/30421/docs/three%20keys.pdf (July 2008).

Dos and Donts

Dont Give developmental feedback in public Present many issues at once Use generalized language or characterizations Use value judgments or insert your opinion or feelings State your interpretations of your observations Example: I noticed you dont like creating quarterly reports. Focus only on negative feedback Provide feedback on non-work related personal characteristics such as religion, gender, or nationality; this is inappropriate and could also be illegal Talk down to the feedback recipient Become defensive or argumentative when receiving feedback from a peer Feedback Topics that Should Come from Managers, Not Peers Violations of company policy Illegal activity that occurs at work or is affecting work relationships Extremely negative feedback Chronic behavior or work problems Anything you feel particularly uncomfortable with or if you fear an extreme reaction from the feedback recipient Anything that is unrelated to a project in which you are involved

Dos and Donts

Do... Give developmental feedback in private; some people also prefer to receive positive feedback in private Focus feedback on one or two issues at a time Focus on specific behaviors that the peer displayed Remain objective; describe the behavior in terms of its impact on the team, project, or organization State only your observations of the behavior; your interpretations could be incorrect Example: I noticed youve been leaving your quarterly reports until the last minute. (There could be many reasons they are starting the reports late.) Provide positive feedback as well as negative; if you tell your peers what went well, they will know what to do more of in the future

Focus only on the behaviors that will help your peers to perform their jobs better
Involve the feedback recipient in the process and treat them as an equal Treat the feedback as a low-risk opportunity for you to learn about yourself and improve your performance.

End of Presentation
THANK YOU