It is performance appraisal time at the office again. Managers will sit with their resources, discuss their performance over the last twelve months, and provide an overall rating—a rating that is used as a yardstick to influence pay increases, promotions, and so on.
One input to this appraisal includes performance feedback. Staff working with the person being assessed are sent a short survey to elicit anonymous feedback. The intent is to ascertain whether a resource meets important criteria and skill sets, such as client centricity, relationship building, quality of outputs, etc.
Anyways, this whole process got me to thinking…
In both our personal and professional lives, feedback in its many forms serves to assist us in recognising areas of growth and development. Interestingly, the effectiveness of this feedback rests mainly on the quality of the relationship between the giver and the receiver. Negative feedback can often be mistaken for criticism without a solid foundation of trust and mutual respect. If individuals feel valued and supported, negative feedback is more likely to be perceived as constructive criticism aimed at improvement rather than a personal attack. Conversely, in relationships characterised by distrust and animosity, negative feedback can easily be interpreted as an attack on one’s competence or character.
So, what about anonymous feedback? Feedback where the person providing their insights is shrouded in secrecy.
Various studies have shown that anonymous feedback is more consistent and reliable than non-anonymous feedback, as individuals are less influenced by social pressures or biases.
In addition, anonymous feedback tends to positively influence the recipient’s reactions too. In general, recipients perceive the feedback as fairer and unbiased. Not knowing the rater’s identity reduces the inclination to attribute negative observations to personal animosity or ulterior motives, allowing the recipient to consider the feedback more objectively. Negative ratings given anonymously are less damaging to relationships as the focus tends to be on improving performance rather than on interpersonal dynamics or preserving relationships.
In summary, while there are always outliers, anonymous performance feedback seems to remove the sensitivities of ‘ordinary’ day-to-day feedback, allowing the recipient to be more open-minded and accepting of the opinions offered. This makes anonymous feedback a valuable tool for personal and professional development.
Happy Appraising!
Janine (J9) Nijs
Janine Nijs Online 