A631.3.4. Feedback and Goals_Reyes, Cassandra

In a well-written blog, describe your understanding of the importance of feedback and goals to performance. What are your thoughts regarding Brown's contention that there are generational differences in the amount of feedback desired by employees. How much feedback do you generally give and receive? Have you found that for you personally, having specific goals and receiving targeted feedback has led to more engagement, higher performance, or any other benefits (or drawbacks)? What are the implications of your reflection?

 

Brown states that “the combination of goal setting with feedback on individual performance has a positive effect on performance.” He also states that “giving feedback on performance without having previously set goals does not lead to improved performance.” I would have to agree with these two statements as my personal and professional experiences have proven them to be true. In my personal opinion, I think it is absolutely necessary for there to be a combination of goal setting and feedback in order to be successful in any type of business or relationship. Feedback is a form of communication between individuals, departments or organizations and goal setting is the establishment of objectives and the overall purpose of a business. Without clearly defined goals, it would be impossible for a business to “increase efficiency and effectiveness” as there would be no specified “desirable outcomes toward which individuals, teams, and the organization should work.”

 I would have to agree with Brown’s contention that there are generational differences in the amount of feedback desired by employees. I believe that there are very clear differences between Generation X and Generation Y individuals as style of leadership, value of experience, professional expectations, technology and a variety of other factors have changed over the years. Generation X employees “rely heavily on the extensive career experience and hands on work that determines their knowledge in their prospective career fields, so technology may not always be the solution to the problem in their eyes.” On the other hand, Gen Y individuals “seek technology to improve the value of every aspect of their lives. Generation X employees are known to be well educated and take employment very seriously and tend to me more dedicated to even entry level positions, while Gen Y employees are usually looking for the next best thing, promotions, recognition and look to pursue upper level management positions. I think the major differences in these two generations offer the dissimilarity between the desired feedback by Gen X and Gen Y employees that Brown touches upon.

When training or working in a team, I tend to give a ton of feedback to individuals so everyone knows where I stand and to ensure that there aren’t any outstanding questions. I like to give and receive feedback because I believe that communication is important in establishing goals, achieving commitment and overcoming resistance. Performance is a reflection of the results of goal setting and feedback within an organization, without the two, the attainment of goals would be nonexistent.

In my personal opinion, I have found that having specific goals and receiving targeted feedback has led to higher performance, more engagement between departments, teams, and individuals and has also created better team dynamics. Employees who are provided feedback and who are able to make suggestions and discuss opinions, tend to feel “appreciated, important and understood. When employees feel like they have a voice, they won't feel stifled or fearful of sharing their opinions.” This in turn allows for positive change and reinforcement throughout the organization. Feedback bridges people together, and allows for greater productivity, and motivation throughout an organization.
            I believe that the implications of my reflection are due in part to my Gen Y interpretation and experiences and are also due to my personal experiences both professionally and in my personal life. Setting difficult clearly defined goals for myself allowed me to set my sights on obtaining my A&P licenses, attending Embry-Riddle and graduating with my degree, obtaining the current position I am in now, and starting my master’s degree. Feedback has been a huge part of my life as I have had to experience a vast amount of positive and negative reinforcement and critique. I have learned how to keep open lines of communication with each relationship I hold and have also learned to challenge myself with the goals set before me. Without the use of feedback and goal setting I would not have the ability to better myself and become more efficient and effective in my professional career.

 

References

Papa, J. (n.d.). Importance of Feedback in Business Communication | eHow.com. eHow | How to Videos, Articles & More - Discover the expert in you. | eHow.com. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5374330_importance-feedback-business-communication.html

Murillo, A. (2011, January 26). Difference between Generation X and Y | Ashley Ellis. Ashley Ellis-Information Technology IT Recruiting and Staffing Firm Chicago, IL. Retrieved from http://www.ashleyellis.com/2011/01/difference-between-generation-x-and-y/

 

Harvey, D. F., & Brown, D. R. (2011). Goal Setting for Effective Organizations. In An experiential approach to organization development (8th ed., pp. 319-325). Upper Saddle River, N.J: Prentice Hall.