A recent blog focused on the idea of giving and receiving effective feedback in the workplace. Feedback is very important to ensure high levels of self-confidence and to promote improved performance. Unfortunately many workplace employees are not effective at giving or receiving feedback and will often avoid the feedback process as much as possible. One fear that exists is the fear of upsetting the individual receiving the feedback and essentially making the situation worse instead of better. Feedback needs to be properly managed which includes delivery at the right time. The worst time to give feedback to a fellow employee is during an amygdala hijack.
Ah-mig-da-lah what? An amygdala hijack occurs when our brain is in the fight or flight mode. Amygdala, is the part of our brain that is responsible for comparing incoming information with our past emotional memories. A hijack ensues when we are completely overcome with fight or flight emotions (and other brain functions) and as a result logic and reasoning are thrown out of the window. It is protection, in motion, real-time.
In the workplace it is important to avoid feeback in very intense emotional situations. During these times most of what will be heard, felt, or given is an outright character attack. Employees need feedback, they need constructive and useful feedback. Employees who receive no feedback will lose confidence in their abilities and assume that their efforts do not make a difference. Choose the right time for feedback, create a culture of performance feedback and watch the motivation and morale of employee teams grow.
Great point Dennis! Few managers are aware that the amygdala exists, never mind the incredible impact in can have on perceptions and reactions.
ReplyDeleteAnother reason why we need to work on developing trusting relationships - so we can better understand when people are in this space and not in any shape for "teaching".
Would love to see more of this in the mainstream.
Thanks for the comment Geoff. As you are aware many things are taken for granted in the workplace when it comes to people interactions; yet many organizations are quick to say that they have communication problems. I strongly believe that effective feedback makes employees more motivated and engaged. Not properly managed though, feedback (or lack of) can cause significant problems. I also believe that effective feedback builds more trusting relationships.
ReplyDeleteGreat article! It would certainly be useful for the concepts you introduce to become common-sense and common-practice.
ReplyDeleteIf adults get the amygdala-hijack-lecture series sporadically, some children get a subscription to it that is delivered weekly, daily or even hourly for the really unfortunate! The area I'm interested in, is how when I work with children referred to me for 'anger issues,' they also have anger-amnesia. Once the episode has passed, they have little access to memory or the experience of it and therefore have difficulty in being able to explore it to find their cues, triggers and reasons. Very dissociated experience for them.
Thanks for your post Tara. What you mention is very disheartening, especially since some (or all) of your work is with children. While I am certainly very far from an expert in the conditions or outcomes you mention I have also heard of adults suffering from the same "anger-amnesia." In many cases I believe that those persons affected by the anger issues believe that the adult also has a problem with being completely truthful and that they are simply covering up for their anger rages. Someone far more educated than I am in this discipline would need to provide some insight. My focus is in O.D. with a strong interest in I/O Psych. I think your interests and more importantly the facts associated with your interests would be extremely valuable to many people.
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