Feedforward, i.e. a look at the employee's future

The concept of feedback has already passed into the colloquial language and has gone beyond the framework of the business world. So what is feedforward? What could it mean for you and your employee?

Feedforward a feedback 

Feedback is the so-called Feedback. So it necessarily refers to what has already happened - the employee has done something, and you evaluate his behavior. Feedforward is an approach proposed by business coach Marshall Goldsmith. He noticed that in the work of an adviser or motivator, what matters more proposing new ideasthat will solve old difficulties, instead of criticism or praise. He found that a similar approach can work in the business world, especially in employer-employee communication.  

Feedforward - a practical example 

Avraham D. Kruger and Dina Nir give an interesting example of the use of this method in their work "The feedforward interview", published in 2010 in the "Human Resource Management Review". There they describe the case of a school principal who used this method in an interview with an employee whom he already wanted to fire. However, instead of giving him feedback on his poor performance at work, at the urging of the researchers, he asked him about an example of a professional situation in which he coped well. The answer surprised him: the employee frankly admitted that there had been no such occasion recently. He began to explain why this happened and propose, on his own initiative, what could change to make the results better. The meeting ended in a cheerful atmosphere, the employee showed that he still had a lot to offer, and the employer looked at him in a new light. If, instead of a feedforward approach, he had simply criticized him for his mistakes, the conversation would probably have been unpleasant, the employee would have withdrawn even more into himself, and the boss would have had to fire him in the end. 

Feedforward: The Only Method for Millennials?

The youngest generations on the labor market are known to dislike criticism. The "generation of unicorns" wants to fulfill themselves at work, set goals and does not like being pointed out at their mistakes. These are exactly what you can reach with feedforward as methods of solving problems in the organization. A young employee will not be discouraged when you offer him new solutions. An experienced manager, on the other hand, will feel better to receive some kind of coaching, rather than to talk about past shortcomings. All this has a positive effect on employer branding, a internal communication in the company becomes more effective. 

Advantages of the feedforward approach 

Workers' requirements for the workplace are increasing. Approaches type sieve method cease to work. News travels quickly about a toxic work environment and workers avoid such places. Today, feedforward is a novelty, but it is possible that it will soon become a market standard. There is already a lot of talk about maintaining a non-violent dialogue and not excluding employees. Feedforward as a method fits perfectly with this type of approach. A work environment in which the boss clearly shows what he thinks about employee mistakes is slowly becoming a thing of the past. 

It's also convenient from the boss's point of view. This allows you to skip the unpleasant and time-consuming step of feedback and go straight to the details. Criticizing employees and pointing out their mistakes is not pleasant. Especially since it might give you nothing anyway. Here, you leave the assessment of the situation to yourself, but you can immediately go to what the development of your company will bring. If feedback is usually provided in a group or as part of a team in a company, the feedforward approach will significantly reduce tension and improve the well-being of employees. It is a set of tips and ideas for the future, tailored to individual predispositions. It will do much better than pointing out defects for one employee, while the other receives praise ... This way, there are also no understatements. Instead of listing the pros and cons of an employee, in the feedforward approach, you specifically talk about how they can achieve the results you want. This gives him a more confident position later in the next review of his achievements - if he did what you agreed, then the responsibility for the result lies not only with him. 

When does it work (and when does it not)? 

This technique will also work when you are taking over a team and need to review its achievements. In such a situation, it makes no sense to focus on the past, and employees should learn about your preferences for the future as soon as possible. It is a gentle method of "talking" even with an experienced employee. In companies using the feedforward approach, employees are more satisfied with their work. They often have a sense of agency and are more open in a conversation with the employer, knowing the chance for a two-way dialogue. 

It will be a bit worse when the employee does not show willingness to change. Method feedforward can keep him convinced for a long time that he is doing everything right. He will not hear criticism, his individual successes will also not be appreciated, and he may ignore any remarks for the future.  

How to introduce feedforward in the company? 

The feedforward technique is used by corporations such as Deloitte, Google or Adobe. It is worth noting, however, that each of them uses a mix of methods, including their own methodologies. Feedforward is there next to face-to-face meetings, consultations and sharing impressions. And what all the approaches have in common is regularity. Both feedback and feedforward must be given at regular intervals, giving the employee a clear framework for making changes. 

The creator of the method in the book "What Got You Here Won't Get You There" mentions four steps to apply feedforward in practice: 

• identifying a habit or behavior that needs to change; 
• information on the result you expect in the future in a face to face interview; 
• hearing employee ideas without criticism or evaluation; 
• Putting a jointly developed plan into practice. 

If your employee is not motivated to work because he feels he has no influence, feedforward can give him wings. It happens that such a resigned crew member begins to burst with ideas for improving the company's situation. As long as he knows he's heard by the boss. As you can see, the feedforward method requires changes not only from the employee, but also from his supervisor. You can find more Commplace tips - work, HR and business - on our blog.