How Well Do Your Managers Plan for Feedback?
Are Your Managers Equipped to Give Impactful Feedback?
In the workplace, it’s not unusual to receive generic feedback for growth such as “good job” as a performance comment or “learn to read the air” as a development tip.
While employees everywhere seek feedback, if it’s overly vague, too frequent, or brutally honest, it can sometimes be more harmful than receiving none at all. There are various reasons why managers may feel uncomfortable giving feedback.
The concept of using “feedback” as a management tool has been around since the 1950s, but it has only recently gained popularity in Japan. In fact, the Japanese government’s 2018 labor law reform mandated that companies establish a system for evaluating and providing feedback to their employees.
Studies have shown that a vast majority (90%) of Japanese employees would like to receive feedback to enhance their skills, while 87% believe that it would help them perform better. Only 30% of employees receive it regularly, however. The importance of effective feedback cannot be overstated. Having better conversations around our performance inevitably encourages increased engagement, faster transformation, and more successful progress and innovation.
To truly reap the benefits of feedback, it needs to be more impactful. How and when it’s given is often influenced by the corporate culture, and in more traditional Japanese companies, where harmony is often valued over open discourse, innovation and change can be restricted.
On the other hand, modern or non-traditional Japanese companies often promote ‘brutal honesty’, where people and things are constantly critiqued, and feedback is frequently provided. This kind of culture can lead to frustration and burnout, even if individuals initially improve their skills and capabilities.
Finding a middle ground is crucial – we need feedback cultures that prioritize empathy, personal care, and a desire to help others grow – in other words, impactful feedback that can truly make a difference. So why is feedback often not given in Japan, and what should impactful feedback look like?
Obstacles to giving feedback for growth to thrive and excel
When working with multinational companies in Japan, our clients (both foreign and Japanese leaders) often face significant challenges related to Japanese business and societal norms, as well as communication styles. It is a deeply ingrained concept in Japanese management to maintain positive relationships and avoid conflict by emphasizing the concept of wa (harmony).
Japanese managers may use their default feedback style if they are not fully onboarded to the multinational company’s feedback culture. It is also common for Japanese organizations to be hierarchical, so employees are often restrained from challenging their superiors or providing honest feedback. In addition, the indirectness of Japanese language may affect the formulation of feedback. In spite of these challenges, there are Japanese companies, such as Toyota, that do foster a strong feedback culture.
Reflection point: How does your company’s culture encourage or hinder feedback for growth to thrive and excel?
A common theme that we come across when coaching clients is overworked managers, in addition to systemic challenges such as culture and communication. Despite having the desire to provide feedback and foster their employees’ growth and development, they are often “playing managers” who supervise their teams but also perform operational duties. It may be difficult for them to observe their teams in action and provide real-time feedback.
We encounter this phenomenon of ‘playing managers’ at all levels of the organizations in Japan. However, for managers to provide more impactful feedback, they need the time and energy to observe their teams.
Reflection point: How do your managers plan their time and energy to give feedback?
Many managers lack essential skills such as goal-setting, time management, delegation, and on-the-job training. Without these foundations, they also struggle with advanced skills like coaching and giving feedback.
Reflection point: How skilled are your managers to give impactful feedback?
Shift from Judgment to Feedforward
To make feedback impactful, shift the focus to “feedforward” by suggesting ways to improve future performance. Instead of judging, share observations and show curiosity to encourage learning. This approach makes feedback more constructive, helping individuals grow and improve.
Traditional feedback often stresses employees and triggers defensive reactions, making learning harder. Neuroscience research shows that simply telling people what to improve can lead to a fight-or-flight response. Feedforward creates a more open environment, allowing individuals to reflect and decide their next steps.
Nevertheless, neuroscientific research finds that simply ‘telling people’, not only causes them to feel stressed, which often leads to a fight-or-flight response, but it also commonly inhibits learning. The purpose of feedforward is to help the other person be relaxed, allow for reflection, and decide what to do next.
Use SBI-Style Feedback to Encourage Growth
To implement feedforward effectively, use the SBI (Situation – Behavior – Impact) Model:
- Situation: Describe when and where the behavior occurred.
- Behavior: Explain what the person did.
- Impact: Share how their actions affected the outcome.
To help others grow, show genuine interest, provide timely feedback, and share observations with curiosity. Encourage critical thinking and learning instead of judgment. Feedforward fosters support, collaboration, and meaningful dialogue. Using SBI creates a trusting environment where employees feel engaged and valued.
Here two examples of how a Japanese manager could give feedback on stopping something and starting something.
Making Feedback Constructive
If you aim to build a productive and inclusive work environment, consider how you give feedback. Using SBI can foster trust, engagement, and meaningful learning.
Sources:
Udemy, Workforce Learning Report (2018),
Randstad, Talent Trends Japan Report (2019)
Gallup Asia-Pacific Study ‘State of the Global Workplace: Employee Engagement Insights for Business Leaders Worldwide” (2018)
The Feedback Fallacy, Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall, HBR (2019)
Randstad, Talent Trends Japan Report (2019)