No one likes to hear bad things about
themselves in a performance review. From
a behavioral perspective this negative consequence can fuel feelings of shame,
frustration and helplessness. Fear is one of the most powerful motivators and
when you fear losing your job, either a quick change in performance can be
apparent or a malaise that spins downward to eventual dismissal. Either way, negative feedback is effective.
From a more positive view researchers at
Columbia Business School found a strong link between social rejection coming
from a negative review and a temporary boost in creativity. While it may seem counterintuitive, we often do
our best creative work when we are backed into a corner. This is not unlike people who would prefer
working under the pressure of a deadline.
Aftershocks of negative feedback can help clear the way for sharper
inner focus and more determination. This
is just what managers would like to see when they give negative feedback.
Actually a survey done by Zenger
Folkman, a leadership development firm, supported the idea of receiving
negative feedback at work. They found that being alerted to mistakes did more
to raise performance than positive feedback and praise.
Another upside to negative feedback is
that experienced workers want to hear it. They appreciate useful bits of
information that fine-tune their performance.
So the next time you enter into a
performance review, remember that negative feedback delivered in a constructive
way can motivate positive future performance.
In fact, because employees tend to ignore advice given with positive
feedback as much as 70% of the time, negative feedback can take on an added
sense of urgency that can drive positive performance.
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