Overcome the watermelon effect

Harrish Sairaman

The foundation of a great performance is: continuous learning, overcoming weaknesses and enhancing strengths. However, your weakness at times is a blind spot and you need someone to reveal it for you. A champion thrives on challenging his or her own weaknesses and converting those into strengths. While an ‘average’ manager might be happy with a sugar-coated feedback, a champion thrives on positive criticism. 

Feedback hence is crucial , especially from important people and needless to say that “your boss is a vey important person if you are into employment”. 

A majority of people never solicit feedback as the word ‘feedback’ carries a reputation of being negative only. However, there exists a different category of peoplewho believe in giving only sugar-coated feedback as they fear hurting others through a negative one. This is actually an act of ignorance as they don’t realise that this strategy in the long run will eventually hurt more and sometimes beyond repair. 

If this resonates with you from a receiver’s perspective, you are experiencing the ‘watermelon effect’ in managerial feedback. The sooner you free yourself from this effect, the lesser your chance of becoming a long term ‘victim’. So, how do you handle this if you are at the receiving end: 

Self awareness

Self awareness is the key here. Realising that the absence of a negative feedback or only the presence of a sugar-coated one from your manager only means you are either ‘perfect with no scope of improvement’ or a victim of the ‘watermelon effect’. Mostly the latter is true. Rather than becoming a victim later be proactive and assess the undercurrents. 

Seek and don’t wait

Feedback should be keenly solicited. If you are not receiving it, become a seeker. A lot of people don’t ask for their areas of improvement as they fear criticism, but remember that without that you can’t grow beyond a level. It will reveal some day where you might be at a point of no return. 

Transform your boss

By soliciting feedback and working on it you will demonstrate that ‘expressing an area of improvement only brings in improvement’. This will not only change your boss’ perception but his approach too and a blended approach would be great for you.

So, how do you handle this if you are at the manager and at the giving end: 

Balance positive and negative

While appreciation is an amazing gesture, avoiding the negatives will make your intent and impact adverse. If you really want to coach and bring out the best in your subordinates a ‘blended approach’ is a great way to proceed. 

Perception

Change your perception now. By giving a negative feedback you are only helping them grow without which they can never work on their weakness.

Methodology

Negative feedback or criticism is only bad if it concludes on a negative note and not when it concludes on a great positive note. Give the negative feedback, highlight the area of improvement and get into an introspective and conversational mode to ‘discover’ methods to outgrow it. You and your subordinate will rise beyond the problems and experience collaborative potentials. You now come across as a manager who has great clarity, expresses transparently and focuses truly on the subordinate’s development. You now become the real hero for your team. 

Avoid sugarcoating

Feedback is effective only when the manager giving it is honest and unbiased and the employee receiving has a positive and understanding attitude. Sugarcoating it can be confusing like a watermelon — soothing green on the outside and red and full of seeds on the inside

— The writer is a noted motivational speaker