BoomerGirl Diary

Dear Christine,

Some people say no news is good news. Is that true in the workplace as well? If you are getting NO feedback, should you accept that to mean you are doing a good job? Or does it mean "they" are unhappy and you may be out the door soon? How do you read between the lines to figure out whether the bosses are happy with your work?

Dear BoomerGirl,

Here is how I see it: You should know at all times whether or not you are doing a good job. You should have clear objectives and goals. If you don’t, you need to take action so you know EXACTLY what is expected of you quantitatively and qualitatively.

Once you know this, it is your responsibility to focus your energies to achieve the goals which have been set for you. When communication or performance feedback is infrequent due to changing priorities, restructuring or a lack of formal procedures, steady your own course by examining your targets, metrics, and accomplishments.

You should also be proactive about requesting feedback. If you can’t wait for the formal annual review process, do what you can to obtain feedback from your supervisor informally. I believe most managers are willing and are very interested in providing performance feedback. However, other pressing issues may make it difficult for a manager to see this important task as a top priority. In addition, some mangers are reluctant to provide feedback if they feel the employee will react negatively.

When receiving feedback, it is important to be receptive, confident and calm. The worst thing to do is to be defensive. Be a sponge. When the feedback presentation is over, clarify if you need to with reasonable questions and specific examples. Facilitate your own development by asking what you need to do to improve your performance.

A good manager should be proactive about providing consistent feedback while a motivated employee should seek it out. The ideal situation is when both parties are moving towards each other: the supervisor should be interested in giving feedback while the employee should be interested in receiving it.

Don’t spin your wheels by trying to read between the lines. Gather facts, data and quotes.

Here is my wrap-up:

1. Know what is expected of you.

2. Keep your job description and performance evaluation form handy to keep your performance “in tune.”

3. Perform according to the objectives, goals, and targets.

4. Track and document your own performance with a job scrapbook with notes, emails, awards etc.

5. Ask for feedback.