A Principle-Based Approach
It is important to understand the principles that inform our approach to feedback summaries. Without this knowledge, misapplications often occur. Here are some common misapplications (Feedback Summaries are NOT...) and principles we strive to apply instead.
| Feedback Summaries are an Application of... | Feedback Summaries are NOT... |
|---|---|
| Respect: It is respectful to clearly communicate how employees are contributing and can improve, especially when there are significant performance gaps that require rapid progress to stay in the role or the company. Alignment of Incentives: Honest and clear feedback helps employees understand what will be most beneficial for them and Koch. Closing Gaps: No matter how well someone is doing, they can always improve and do better. Supervisor Responsibilities and Expectations: Supervisors are expected to provide honest feedback, help employees understand their strengths and weaknesses, realize their potential and maximize their contributions. |
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How Are Feedback Summaries Developed?
Your supervisor will develop the written feedback summary and plan what to discuss with you by considering:
- Ongoing discussions with you
- Your contributions to your RRE, other results and culture
- Feedback from others (sometimes called 360-degree feedback)
- Your self-evaluation
The written summary typically includes no more than a handful of your most significant contributions, 2-3 strengths and development areas and a forward-focused message about how you can improve contributions in the coming year(s).
While a document is helpful, the feedback summary is about communication. The discussion is a chance to ask questions, connect to reality, explore what you could do differently in the future, and envision what you could do to better leverage your gifts to contribute more.
Tips and Expectations
At Koch, everyone is expected to take the feedback summary process seriously. Below are tips and expectations for each essential element of effective feedback summaries.
Feedback should be gathered and shared throughout the year. For the annual feedback summary, a supervisor solicits feedback from a small number of people who interact with the employee in different ways to gain a more complete view of the employee’s performance.
Here are some things to keep in mind when you gather and analyze 360 feedback:
- Seek feedback from those who can provide insight to help the employee develop and improve.
- Be thoughtful about the questions you ask. Customize questions to match the reviewer’s interaction and relationship with the employee.
- Ask about the “how” (virtue and talents) and the “what” (results).
- When gathering feedback from internal partners, peers and direct reports, consider having a conversation (1-on-1 or in a group) rather than only asking for written feedback. There is no specific number of feedback providers required.
- Key partners could be internal or external customers, suppliers or others the employee works with closely. Rather than sending external partners feedback forms to be completed, have conversations to learn how the employee (and we as an organization) are doing and what needs to improve.
- Analyze the feedback; look for patterns and themes. Determine and summarize the appropriate message; do not provide a compilation of all feedback.
- The Motivations and Behaviors tool can help you assess ways in which the employee is and is not contribution motivated.
At Koch, it is common to be asked by supervisors to provide feedback about the performance and contributions of their employees (your co-workers). Your feedback can help your co-workers discover their strengths and limitations, develop skills and apply them in ways that increase their contributions.
Here are some things to keep in mind as you provide feedback:
- Imagine you are receiving this feedback. What few things are most important to help this person?
- Be clear, direct and honest.
- Provide current examples or context so the feedback is meaningful and helpful.
- Share how the person applied PBM to achieve results.
Important note: Each of us is expected to provide helpful feedback to our co-workers (including our supervisor) on an ongoing basis, not just “at the end of the year.”
You can provide your self-evaluation to your supervisor in writing or through a conversation. Regardless of the approach you and your supervisor agree on, this is a formal opportunity for you to reflect and communicate with your supervisor about your contributions and experiences during the past performance period, as well as your thoughts on how you might contribute more or differently in the future.
Here are some questions to consider as you prepare your self-evaluation:
- What are my three most significant contributions? How did I apply PBM to achieve these results?
- What is most fulfilling and least fulfilling in my role?
- What area of development will help me realize my potential?
- How would I change my role to better match my aptitudes and interests with the company’s needs?
How Are Feedback Summaries Related to Other Aspects of Employee Development?
Your feedback summary should help you reflect on your performance and how you’ve responded to coaching, understand how you’ve contributed to results and culture which affect your compensation, and spark ideas for how you might adjust your RREs.
Contribution Motivated - Unscripted
Leaders discuss what it means to be Contribution Motivated and the importance of feedback.