Effectiveness of Different Feedback Types

One of Milliken & Company’s Chief Operating Officers said, “feedback is the breakfast of champions.”  Without good feedback, people lack direction in their work and ultimately will fail in their endeavors.  In our world of work, feedback takes on at least 3 distinct forms:

• Non-existent
• Negative
• Positive

The hypothesis of a recent study we performed was that if a subject faced an unknown, but simple task, they would complete the task more efficiently with positive feedback or reinforcement than any of the other three feedback types.

How the Feedback Study was Conducted

When we work with leadership teams, feedback is one of the skills we teach. During a feedback class, the class participates in a demonstration of the different types of feedback.

The class size is important; ideally 10 – 20 people. The leader asks for 3 volunteers from the group. The volunteers are asked to leave the room and be out of earshot of any conversations happening. The remaining class members are asked to pick a task for the subjects to complete. This task should not be terribly difficult, nor should it be obviously easy. Typically, the task involves moving an item on a table or desk, moving an item within the room, or writing something on a flip chart. When the ground rules for the task are set, the class is then told what their roles will be.

For the first volunteer, the class is to not give feedback at all. No matter what the volunteer asks or does, the class is to remain silent and unmoving until the end of the time limit (3 minutes). At the end of the time, the subject is asked to sit down and a small debriefing is given.

With Volunteer 2, the class is instructed to yell “NO!”, “BAD!”, or other negative feedback if they make a wrong move, turns the wrong way, or does anything other than the exact method the class prescribed. If the subject does something correct or turns the right way, or moves toward the task, the class is to remain silent. At the end of the time limit (3 minutes), the subject is asked to sit down and a small debriefing is given.

Volunteer 3 is then asked to come in. When told to begin their task, if they make a wrong move, the class is silent. When they make a correct move, the class responds with positive feedback (cheering, “GOOD JOB!”, “YES!”, etc.). This (wrong move – nothing, right move – positive) continues until the task is complete.

Management Feedback Study Results

In every iteration of the exercise, the first volunteer never accomplished the task with zero feedback.  In two of the iterations, when the subjects were told they had a task to do and were not given any feedback, the subjects began to clean and straighten their work area, pick up chairs, pick up trash, and other “5S” related tasks. The subjects asked several times in the first minute or so what they were supposed to do and if they were on the right track, but as they got no answers, they gave up asking after the first minute or minute and a half.  By the time the event ended, the subject had given up completely and was left feeling dejected and frustrated.

The results with the second volunteers (negative feedback) were a bit more mixed. Only one subject completed the task. During the debrief, the subject was asked how they were able to complete the task and her response was that she had been in a previous role where she had gotten used to constant negative feedback. She realized the pattern early and was able to adapt based on her previous experience. In all the other iterations, the subjects became resigned, frustrated, and even angry. One subject almost had a breakdown because of the negative feedback.

The results of the third volunteers were also mixed, but for a different reason. In every scenario except one, the volunteer completed the task in less than 2 minutes. In a couple of cases, the volunteer completed the task in under a minute. The volunteer who did not complete the task provided a very valuable side lesson. This subject was moving toward the goal (getting positive reinforcement) and talking at the same time. She paired the positive reinforcement with the talking and stopped her progress and began talking to the class. Even without receiving feedback for the speech, she continued her talking until the exercise ended.

All the subjects and classes were debriefed after each exercise. When the subjects failed to complete the task, they were told of the task and what was going on. The subjects were then asked to share their feelings and thoughts about the exercise. The volunteers who failed to complete the task spoke of:

• frustration
• resignation
• embarrassment
• helplessness
• anger

The subjects who completed the tasks spoke of accomplishment, pride, and other positive feelings.  Though the class members were not part of the exercise (subjects) they had some feelings of wanting to help when no feedback was given, mixed feelings about giving negative feedback, and positive feelings when giving positive feedback.

Understanding the Importance of Employee Feedback

Everyone needs and craves receiving feedback. When people do their tasks right or wrong, they want to know. If they are moving down a wrong path, people need feedback to correct course. If people are doing their work correctly, positive feedback acts as positive reinforcement which will contribute to more correct work. Therefore, any feedback is better than no feedback.  However, positive feedback is more effective than negative feedback to get someone to accomplish a task, especially an unknown or unfamiliar task. Constant negative feedback acts as a “whip” or a “stick” used on a person. This will invariably lead to a negative employee experience and emotions that drive their production down or drive them away. Positive or constructive feedback, on the other hand, acts as positive reinforcement, a reward or recognition that will increase and improve performance and positive emotions toward the employee’s work and/or workplace. Effective employee feedback like this will drive employee engagement, satisfaction, and productivity.  Overall, a culture of feedback in a workplace, based on giving and receiving, makes for positive employees.  .

As we have demonstrated in this study, feedback is vital to good performance. Positive feedback, given in a timely fashion, is the tool that will most quickly yield the best results. Giving feedback is one of a leader’s most impactful tools. When an employee trusts his or her leaders, they can ask for feedback knowing they will be treated in a very positive manner, even if the feedback is corrective in nature.

Feedback is also used to effect behavior change. To change behavior, we need to teach the new or wanted behavior and then give feedback (reinforce) the new, proper behavior. We can even reinforce old and unwanted behavior out through feedback and reinforcement. Changing behavior is a 2-step process:

1. Educate the new behavior
2. Reinforce through feedback the new behavior

If we can help you with improving your feedback culture and perhaps begin changing your culture, contact Performance Solutions by Milliken today.