Here are some common feedback mistakes:

• Speaking out only when things are wrong.
• Providing generic praise without specifics or an honest underpinning.
• Waiting until performance or behavior is substantially below expectations before acting on it.
• Giving negative feedback in public.
• Criticizing performance without giving suggestions for improvement.
• Not conducting regular performance reviews.

Clearly, giving and receiving constructive feedback is a skill that must be honed.

Developing proficiency in this area is essential to building good relationships with, and motivating peak performance from, your team. To help get you started, here are four tips for providing feedback the right way:

1. Be proactive. Nip issues in the bud and avoid messy interpersonal tangles that result from neglected communication. If you meet with employees regularly to give feedback, it conveys, “Your success is important to me, so I want to be accessible to you.”
2. Be specific. Although it’s not easy to provide negative feedback, it’s important to be as clear as possible by giving specific examples that illustrate your point.  Instead of saying, “Your attitude is bad,” say, “When you miss deadlines, then cross your arms and look away when I discuss it with you, it gives me the impression that you don’t care about the quality of your work. Can you help me understand this behavior better?”
3. Develop a progress plan. Be clear about the specific changes in behavior that you expect in a specific period of time, and follow up as scheduled.
4. Link employees’ performance to organizational goals. Reinforce the value of your employees’ contributions by giving specific examples of how their work and positive behaviors serve the organization and its customers.

At Titan Staffing Systems, we understand and appreciate the value of constructive feedback, so we’d like to hear from you. Please contact us with your questions, comments, and suggestions.

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Is this just luck or a coincidence? Nope! These people don’t wait for things to happen, they make their own luck. So what can you do to ensure you’re successful? You can start by following these five tips:

1. Have a positive attitude–always!
Your attitude can be a powerful self-fulfilling prophecy. If you have a negative attitude, 9 times out of 10 you will fail. But, if you bring a positive attitude and display confidence, strength, and determination, you WILL be successful.

2. Stay educated.
The best way to ensure success is to stay one step ahead. Research your industry. Know what’s happening and what the experts say will happen. Look for trends. When you find them, start to train yourself in these areas. Knowledge is power.

3. Create a personal elevator pitch.
First impressions mean a lot. If you only had 30 seconds to convince someone you were a hard-worker and a leader, what would you say and do? Plan this ahead of time; you never know when it will be needed.

4. Learn to network.
Unfortunately, sometimes it’s not what you know, but who you know (at least to begin with). Learn to network. You can even network within your own company. Invite coworkers to lunch. Take the time to walk by someone’s office to say hello. And actively seek out opportunities to network outside of work by joining organizations, groups, etc. You start by seeking out your local chamber of commerce to learn of upcoming events.

5. Be open to new opportunities.
Read trade publications. Listen to people in your network. When a new opportunity presents itself, don’t sit back and wait. Take the initiative to inquire more – and don’t be shy!

The post The 5 Keys To Job Success appeared first on Titan Staffing Systems.

Here are several tips to help build trust with both your coworkers and your superiors:

• Be honest and share information completely. Be straightforward and honest with everyone and expect the same in return.
• Be open to the ideas of others. Don’t dismiss an idea simply because it doesn’t align with what you had in mind. Take everyone’s feedback into consideration before making a final decision and let others be heard.
• Stand up for what you believe in. If you feel strongly about an issue, make sure you voice your opinion–but be sure you can share some evidence to support your view.
• Follow through on commitments. The easiest way to lose someone’s trust and confidence is to let them down. Make sure you meet your commitments and don’t set deadlines you can’t meet.
• Learn from your mistakes. Mistakes will happen, and when they do, own up to them. Taking responsibility and developing a process to ensure the same mistake isn’t repeated is a great way to build trust.

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