Developmental Resources
The GAIN Model
Providing performance feedback can be a daunting task, both for the giver as well as the receiver. Although most employees tell us they want the feedback, managers usually report back a hesitation because they don't want to hurt anyone's feelings or get confronted with a hostile conversation. Therefore, performance feedback requires clarity, organization, tact, and skill.
The framework below is designed to provide a guide for delivering objective, supportive feedback in a constructive manner. It can be used for both motivational (good, constructive, positive feedback) and developmental (correctional, negative, bad feedback).
| Goal | State the goal or expectation. You can use your organization's performance metrics, a sales goal, or developmental goal from the employee's performance review. Opening with the stated goal creates clarity and consistency for future conversations as well. | |
| Action |
Give the action you
observed that you are either commending or condoning. Be sure that
your description is behavioral and not an impression or generalization.
You should be able to observe, measure, and repeat the action you
describe. That is how you will know it is a true behavior.
Behavior Finder
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| Impact |
Present the impact of the
behavior. The impact can be either positive or negative, a loss or
gain. It does not need to directly impact you, the feedback
provider. It can, and many times will, impact others including
customers, shareholders, vendors, team members, or the organization as a
whole. Negative Feedback
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| New Behavior | Begin a conversation around new behaviors. We recommend you do this by asking the feedback receiver to come up with a solution as opposed to telling him what to do. We have found that once you present a person with the feedback, they are able to figure out the best course of action instinctively. And, when you ask them, you gain their buy-in creating a more long-term behavioral affect. |
Surveys
Training
Keynotes
Coaching
Consulting
Facilitation
Assessment
Development
Presentations
Focus Groups
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THE TEMPLATE Click on the links below for a downloadable WORD version that you can fill-out and print, as well as examples for both positive (motivational feedback) as well as negative/constructive (developmental feedback). |
| THE TEMPLATE |
| PRAISE EXAMPLE |
| IMPROVEMENT EXAMPLE |