I have never been a big fan of anonymous feedback. It just says that the culture might punish you if the feedback is direct. Further, I've seen too many people taking umbrage under the anonymous system and use the process to give feedback that is not actionable, or generic or in some cases even settle scores (especially if the feedback is being given on the immediate manager to the skip level manager). I've also seen people that feel very secure are comfortable sending it directly to the person in question (even when they might be giving the feedback on their manager to their skip level manager). Assuming the manager is seeking honest feedback, this works the best as it opens a direct communication channel and fosters a dialog that can benefit both and ofcourse the organization too. Finally, as managers we need to be creating an environment that values direct and honest feedback. Next time when you are asked to give anonymous feedback, please make sure you send the same to the person to which the feedback is for. Better still feel free and seek honest feedback directly from people that know your work.
Why this post now? I read a very interesting FastCompany article Why Anonymous Feedback Does More Harm Than Good. They give three reasons:
- It reinforces the impression that it isn't safe to speak up openly.
- It can set off a witch-hunt to find out who said what, leading away from the issues at hand.
- It discourages the level of specificity that's needed to make real changes.
The article also talks about how to give better feedback and also has tips managers can use in order to encourage good feedback or move ahead productively with feedback they've received.
Take a look and let me know what you felt.
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