There are some inspirational
examples of those who have accomplished great feats throughout history. Olympic
gymnasts particularly come to mind, but also teams that go on to win the Super
bowl. There are amazing businesses that have changed technology, like Apple.
There are also individuals that are not mentioned in papers and magazines that
are reaching their goals with things such as weight loss, running a marathon or
following a dream to open a business, even to write a novel. So how do they do
it? I do not imagine J.K. Rowling just woke up one day and was like I am going
to write a story that will revive reading for those in a younger generation
where such things have become increasingly unimportant, and then she sat down
and started with the first page and wrote through all seven novels, turned in
her manuscript was published and was number one on the NY Times bestselling
list just like that. That simple. I have not asked her, but I would imagine she
set goals and that she received a ton of feedback from her editor and
publishing company, as well as other confidants.
“The combination of goal setting with feedback
on individual performance has a positive effect on performance. In contrast,
giving feedback on performance without having previously set goals does not
lead to improved performance.” (Brown, 2011, p. 321). If the goal was writing a
multi-volume series, you have to start with the first book, from that the first
several chapters, developing fully involved characters filled with realistic
detail. Setting the goal and getting feedback lets you know if you are working
in the right direction and keeps you moving toward the bigger picture. It is
probably overwhelming to think about all at once but little by little, all tied
together, something great can be gained. Both parts work in harmony to get
where you want to go, you need to set the goal and receive feedback.
From first hand observation I
agree with Brown that there are generational differences in the amount of
feedback desired by employees. The text (2011) details that younger employees
request detailed guidance in their daily work and claim this is an important
aspect. “Eighty five percent of younger workers wanted frequent and candid
performance feedback compared to only fifty percent for older workers” (Brown,
2011, p. 322). It appears individuals born after 1980, Gen Y, “wanted a lot of
feedback… from their immediate bosses and anyone else” (Brown, 2011, p. 322). I
work in a team environment and we use target setting. We have a range of ages
on our team, though I am unsure specifically who was born before or after 1980,
I have a fairly good idea. I was born in 1984, so this helps me gauge my
conjectures.
Goals are given to us as a team
in many different categories. During our annual review we also set our own
goals usually outside of the team performance goals, but can reflect those,
too. Lately the external environment has shifted a bit and we just are leaping
and missing every time. It has become frustrating since we have been putting a
lot of energy and effort into our work. To motivate us, a number of feedback
methods were rolled out. For several weeks our performance was broken down by
everyone on the team on a weekly basis so we can see how we are doing as a team
and compared to each other. It seems there are certain members of the team that
just are not comfortable with that. During private meetings soon after those
weeks of feedback we were each asked about our feedback preferences and in what
forms do you want to received feedback or praise, private or public.
I am of the Gen Y persuasion so I
tend to want feedback. I do not like to guess what you want me to do or how I
am doing, I just want to be made aware so that I can make changes or
adjustments. Sometimes it is the case of doing more of the same if something is
working out well. Feedback for a Gen Y is the best way to make our blind area,
which is known to others, but not apparent to ourselves, revealed. It makes me
wonder if this has been something we have conditioned ourselves to require
since social media puts everything at our fingertips and you can get likes and
comments readily through Facebook or similar sites. When it comes to giving
feedback I am also pretty involved with that, too. I am very open to giving
praise and appreciation as feedback, so much so that when I get a submarine
sandwich made I like to show gratitude and provide some coaching. A common
phrase might be, “Thank you for a delicious and wonderful looking sub!” I also
do this when I am in the office. I want anyone I encounter to know that I
noticed their efforts and like to share positivity. In general people tend to
chase what feels good and avoid what doesn’t. Who doesn’t want to be in a place
where things are made just a little bit better?
I started the very unofficial
“enrollment game” with my team which is me picking an arbitrary number for the
week and then everyone trying to add that many enrollments just to see if you
can get there. I make a sticky note for everyone that wants to participate and
I run around from time to time each week to see how everyone faired. I try to
give out stickers for those who make the goal. But since this is supposed to be
kind of fun and not tied to anything serious, since I have no formal capacity
to actually do such things, I remind everyone of the game’s motto, which I
conveniently borrowed from Whose Line is it Anyway? I tell everyone: the points
don’t matter and everything is made up. Those that play tend to be proud when
they make the goal and said it is motivating. But I do not want anyone to get
discouraged if they do not make it, so each week is a fresh start. The number
does not build so you don’t dig yourself into a deficit. It is all fun and
games, but if it helps us in the end, albeit a little unconventional, then all
the better I say! Several things to know about me: I try to incorporate food at
every opportunity, I like when things are fun so I am always trying to work
that angle, and I love games.
I am a little funny with my own
response to goals, though, especially quantifiable goals. I have them at work
and to date, which just may be a sign of the times because this is not specific
to my experience of late, I have not made a single goal. We come close but have
not hit the goals. This is not exactly celebrated. There has been a lot of
pressure lately, particularly the last several weeks. It has been very draining
of all of my energy and resources. We have been doing possibly triple the work
just to squeeze out a little bit better results. We have altered how we normally
do things because the old ways does not seem to be cutting it anymore. When I
receive targeted feedback I just feel kind of bad and guilty that no matter how
much I care or try that I am not making it. This has physically come to affect
me and others on the team. I notice I am losing clumps of hair and are getting
stress rashes. I notice the things I prefer to focus on may or may not
contribute to the goal, but are the things I can control such as building
relationships with students, which is not necessarily easy primarily through
email. I like when my students feel noticed for their accomplishments or
overcoming their own difficulties with certain courses or subjects.
What this reflection about my
response to goals and feedback says to me is that I like to break down goals
into short-term actions. I focus on bite sized proximal goals to reach my
distal goals, similar to Olympic gold medalist swimmer John Naber (Seijits,
2001). For example, with my graduate program I just make a checklist of what I
need to do every week and attack that, rinse and repeat. I try not to think
about the big picture as much. It gets overwhelming especially because it is
not possible to do the whole thing all at once; it needs to be step by step.
For me it may be a matter of perspective. I can be working toward a larger
goal, but I need to look at it or think about it differently to keep myself
open and creative. I want to always be sure to be in a positive mental space in
order not to shut down. This is for anything from enrollment goals, school work
each term, or when I do furniture makeovers. I like the one step at a time
approach, accomplish it and keep working at it until I reach the finish line.
References:
Brown, D. R. (2011). An Experimental Approach
to Organization Development (8th ed.). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice
Hall.
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