You and Jay-Z Probably Have This in Common
Meaning, Motivation and Feedback
The first time Alicia Keys recorded Empire State of Mind, Jay-Z didn’t think her vocals quite hit the mark. Keys felt like she had given the recording her all, and Jay-Z was put in the awkward position of giving the 16-time Grammy winner constructive feedback. In relaying the story, Keys talks about how Jay Z “had to think about how he was going to call me and tell me this for like a decent amount of time. He's like, how do I say this in a way that feels encouraging?”
I totally empathize with Jay-Z. We hem and haw about how to perfectly construct a feedback conversation. We might be the CEO, a first-time manager, or a platinum selling artist, producer and billionaire, and it’s still hard to deliver a feedback message.
But what I love the most about Jay-Z’s hemming and hawing is that he was thinking about his feedback from a place of encouragement. How do I give feedback that is motivating? How does my feedback encourage someone - who is already great - to be even better?
Too often we forget that at the end of the day, feedback is a motivation tool. We focus on the importance of feedback for managing underperformers and building an organizational culture of compassion and culture.
But, the real reason why feedback matters so much is that it drives motivation and meaning in the workplace.
Why?
Feedback encourages mastery, and that awesome feeling we get when a skill finally “clicks”
Feedback demonstrates impact - both big and small.
Feedback creates connection and a sense of belonging
Check out my new Harvard Business Review article, “Why Feedback Can Make Work Meaningful” that outlines the tactics managers can take to make sure their feedback conversations are imbued with motivation and meaning.
Oh - and what happened after Jay-Z delivered the feedback? According to Keys, “Magic.”
Rachel
More to Check Out
The Three Question Test: When deciding whether to give feedback, ask these three questions.
Am I Meeting Your Expectations? This question bravely ensures that you’re aligned with the people around you. Have you asked it? (Thanks, Alex Newbold for pointing this article, The Best Question We’re Too Afraid to Ask, to me!)
The Power of Rituals: This article got me thinking about some of the zany rituals I’ve experienced on teams over my career. And, despite being zany..they work! What’s your favorite work ritual?