Of the many music streaming services out there (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, etc) Pandora is my favorite. I started using it way back when and I’ve just stuck with it. As I write this leadership lesson I have my country station playing in the background, a station I’ve developed over time that now plays all my favorite songs.
Now understand, getting it to play all my favorite songs didn’t happen by accident. It got to where I wanted it to be as a result of me giving it constant feedback over time. If it played a song that sent a bad message or was slow and depressing I’d give it a thumbs down. Conversely, if it played an artist I loved, or a song I loved, or a song that told a great story I’d give it a thumbs up. I just kept giving it feedback time and again – not once or twice but over and over and over. And now, as a result, it’s very pleasing to listen to.
Well, the way we develop a great playlist has a lot to teach us about how to develop a great volunteer, Team Lead, or staff member.
Your staff will not get to where you want them to be by accident. They will only land where you need them to be as a result of giving them constant feedback. If they show up late to a meeting, or you aren’t seeing excellence mark their work, or they don’t hit a deadline for an assignment you gave them, you have to give that a thumbs down. Conversely, if they go above and beyond, prioritize their professional development, and are teachable when you coach them, you have to give that a thumbs up.
Most people don’t have trouble giving thumbs up, but giving someone a thumbs down is something most people really struggle with for a number of reasons.
- Maybe you hate confrontation and would be more comfortable being buried alive than confronting someone about their performance.
- Maybe you fear coming across as a know it all or fear not being liked. If you have a personal relationship with the person, maybe you fear them not wanting to hang out with you this weekend (or ever again).
- Good leaders recruit volunteers and hire staff that are smarter than them (when and where possible) and while this is a good thing, it can create an insecurity where you think to yourself “They’re smarter than me! Who am I to give them feedback?”
On and on the list goes for why we don’t give our team members thumbs down, but it’s absolutely essential that we get over whatever is stopping us from providing this kind of feedback. To get the playlist just how you like it, you can’t only give thumbs up. We have to give thumbs down as well. And to get your volunteers/staff just how you like them, you have to do the same.
And I promise you: It’s soooo worth it to get over whatever is stopping you from giving this kind of feedback! There is nothing like a playlist you really enjoy listening to and there’s nothing like a volunteer/staff member you like working with. But things won’t get there by accident – only as you’re very intentional about giving feedback.
I’d have no right to be frustrated that Pandora wasn’t playing my favorite songs if I didn’t thumbs up the songs I enjoy listening to. Likewise, I’d have no right to be frustrated that Pandora kept playing songs I didn’t like if I didn’t thumbs down the songs I don’t enjoy listening to.
But this is all too often what we do with our volunteers/staff. We get frustrated that we aren’t seeing more of the right kind of behavior and get frustrated that we’re seeing too much of the wrong kind of behavior – yet we don’t give the feedback that would encourage the right kind of behavior or the feedback that would discourage the wrong kind of behavior. And this isn’t right. If we’re not giving the feedback, we have no right to come home at the end of the day and vent about our team members to our spouse.
We can make developing our staff this really hard, complicated thing, but it’s actually not. It truly is as simple as regularly giving feedback. Reward what you want repeated. That’s what the thumbs-up is for. And discourage what you want discontinued. That’s what the thumbs-down is for. If you consistently do this over time, you will slowly but surely develop your staff, getting them right where you want them, where they are an absolute joy to work with.
It’s going to cost you and take intentionality, but man alive is it ever worth it!
DISCUSSION QUESTION: On a scale of 1-10 how would you grade yourself in terms of giving feedback (1 = you hardly ever give feedback, 10 = you give feedback all the time) and why did you score yourself as you did?
BONUS CONTENT AFTER DISCUSSION
- Be super clear on your expectations so that you have a basis for a thumbs up / down.
- Remember that it’s your job to develop those under your leadership (even if they are volunteers and not paid because we choose staff from our volunteers so develop them to be good future staff members).
- Give feedback as close to the situation as possible (defined as within 24 hours or even in the moment if possible/appropriate).
- If your supervisor isn’t giving you as much feedback as you would like then just ask them “What was thumbs up / down about what I just did?”
- When volunteers/staff don’t live up to expectations be careful not to over rely on “I’m extending grace.” Too much of that and you will have failed to develop your staff as you need to. Yes, occasionally we let things slide – but that needs to be the exception to the rule, not the norm.