Managers should strive to offer effective and valuable feedback to employees, says Michelle Painchaud of Painchaud Performance Group, a human-performance consulting firm in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. “We in agriculture are really bad at giving feedback,” Painchaud says of farmers and ranchers. “We need to use feedback to ignite high performance.” Follow her advice on how to provide feedback in any situation.

Reinforcement: Use this approach for behaviors you want to repeat:

1. Describe the specific positive behavior, such as a team member’s strong attention to detail.
2. Explain how the behavior will create positive results for the operation.
3. Credit the employee for the behavior.
4. Thank and encourage the employee.

Redirection: Try this framework for behaviors you want to avoid

1. State the inappropriate behavior, such as showing up late for work.
2. Wait for the response and listen effectively.
3. Remind your employee of the expected behavior.
4. Ask them to come up with a solution.
5. Identify a solution, document it and follow up.

Excerpt from the recent Top Producer Magazine Article: “Innovation Meets Tradition”
By Sara Schafer, Top Producer Editor

Read the full Top Producer Magazine article here.

Learn more about the Farm Journal Legacy Project.