I struggle to work effectively with my direct line manager. I guess I’m lucky because I can work ‘around’ her but she really does have very poor communication skills. She has been in role for just over a year and as far as I’m concerned has become more and more insular in her approach to managing the department. This is now so bad that I’m no longer sure how my performance or that of the department as a whole is rated.
The trouble is that I have been approached by my manager’s manager to provide feedback on her performance. I want to be professional and provide honest feedback but I’m feeling quite uncomfortable about doing this. I don’t know why I have been asked for this feedback or how it will be used. What’s also worrying me is that it is not annual appraisal time.
Should I just keep my head down and refuse to give any feedback?
I’m wondering if you would be feeling so ‘uncomfortable’ if this feedback had been requested as part of a 360degree feedback exercise. I’m betting that you wouldn’t, as it is a recognised and permissive process both for the person receiving feedback as well as those asked to provide it. The beauty of 360˚ feedback is that it gives the subject of the exercise a window on to how they are perceived by:
a. the people they’re responsible for
b. their peers
c. the people they report to
hence the name ‘360˚’. It evaluates a number of performance attributes and compares these against establish norms for managers in similar positions. It also gives contributors the opportunity to comment on the behaviour that has formed their perceptions. I think it is one of the most elegant management tools in the business if, it is used correctly.
The feedback you have been asked to give does not appear to be in connection with a 360˚. If your company does use this process as part of its employee development process I’d be interested to know why it isn’t being used here.
I wouldn’t read anything ominous into the timing of this request. As you say your manager ‘has been in role for just over a year’ it is normal to have a staff appraisal around this timescale. However as you haven’t been given any other information to explain what’s going on I can fully understand that you want to know why you have been selected to give feedback and how it will be used.
Let’s assume that your manager’s manager is trying to apply a 360˚ feedback approach but without utilising the formal process. In this case asking for your input would be understandable; you are a subordinate of the individual he or she is ‘assessing’. The assessment would not be complete without your input.
I sense something else is troubling you; maybe a concern that your feedback will be used in a negative way against your manager. You may also fear that she will find out that it was you who gave this ‘negative’ feedback and confront you about this. The dilemma you find yourself in is not unique and had your manager’s manager been using the formal 360˚ process this would not be an issue. Your manager would have approached you directly and asked you to participate and in doing given you permission to provide feedback. It does go to show that it is unwise to try and ‘shortcut’ well designed processes like 360˚ feedback. So in this case I think you have every right to seek the clarification and assurances you need in order to provide the ‘professional’ and ‘honest’ feedback that you wish to give.
Do keep things in perspective. I know that you have been working ‘around’ this individual for some time and are clearly frustrated with her lack of communications skills. However others may see her in an entirely different light. Your feedback is important because it may indicate that your manager is spending too much time ‘managing upwards’. You also say your manager has become ‘more and more insular in her approach’. I think this is an insightful observation as it may indicate that she is no longer coping with certain aspects of her role. Support this observation by contrasting your manager’s behaviour when she first arrived to that of now as this will be extremely helpful in her appraisal.
When giving your feedback I would strongly recommend you:
If you do this it will be well received both by your manager’s manager and your manger herself.
Categories: On the coaching couch ,
Comments
All comments
You need to be registered with the IET to leave a comment. Please log in or register as a new user.