Delivering feedback is fundamental to being a good manager, but it can often feel uncomfortable and challenging. We worry about causing discomfort or offense, or we doubt the value of our feedback. Nevertheless, your team expects—and needs—your insights to grow and improve.
Providing feedback that resonates and inspires action is an art that many struggle to master. A crucial factor in this process is recognizing that the way we deliver feedback can significantly influence whether it motivates an employee or diminishes their confidence. But what separates effective feedback from criticism that falls flat? And how can a manager ensure that their words encourage progress rather than create tension? Here are some best practices:
How to Give Productive Feedback
Set Clear Expectations
In The Making of a Manager, Julie Zhuo explains the importance of setting clear expectations from the start to ensure alignment between you and your team on what success looks like. You create a strong foundation by offering guidance and advice on avoiding common pitfalls before work begins. Although this step may not seem directly related to giving feedback, it is crucial. Feedback becomes more meaningful and empowering when everyone clearly understands what is expected of them.
Be Specific and Focused
Clarity is key when giving feedback. Focus on actionable points related to specific behaviors or outcomes, avoiding vague statements that could confuse your team. Always provide concrete examples, highlighting both what you observed and what you expect going forward.
Additionally, it’s crucial to avoid personal attributions. Keep the feedback focused on the matter at hand rather than on the person’s character. So, instead of saying, “Your reports aren’t great,” or “I don’t think you care about the reports you write”, say, “The report you submitted lacked detailed data analysis, which is essential for decision-making.” This phrasing ensures feedback is constructive and not taken personally. In this example, the recommended language also connects the feedback to its impact, i.e., an inability to support proper decision-making.
Balance Positive and Constructive Feedback
There will be times when you provide positive feedback. Harvard Business School professor Frances Frie recommends that you give five times as much positive feedback as constructive feedback. By doing so, your team will know that you see both the good and the not-so-good, and they’ll be more receptive to the constructive feedback when it’s given.
Additionally, as recommended by Kim Scott In Radical Candor, give positive feedback publicly and immediately. If someone is doing good work, let them know on the spot.
However, for constructive feedback, it’s best to have a private conversation. Start by acknowledging their strengths and positive contributions before addressing areas for improvement. For instance, you could say, “I appreciate how thorough you were in gathering the data. For next time, consider organizing it more clearly for easier interpretation.”
Also, avoid giving critical feedback via email. In-person discussions allow for richer dialogue and a clearer understanding of the feedback.
Make It Timely
As mentioned earlier, you can give positive feedback immediately. However, constructive feedback often requires a more private setting. Even so, it’s important to make it timely, as addressing issues as soon as possible after the relevant event or performance ensures that the feedback is fresh and actionable. This approach helps your team understand the feedback better. Note that while you should address issues promptly, you should also choose an appropriate moment for the conversation when the person will be more receptive to feedback.
Be Objective
Focus on behaviors and outcomes rather than the person’s character, and avoid emotional or accusatory language. According to Zhuo, a helpful approach is to collect 360-degree feedback, which incorporates colleagues’ perspectives to provide a comprehensive view. This method helps minimize biases that might affect the message or its delivery. However, 360-degree feedback is best suited for performance reviews and similar situations due to the time required. Note that gathering others’ perspectives to avoid biases does not equate to gossiping.
Encourage Two-Way Dialogue
When giving feedback, allow the recipient to share their perspective and ask questions. This creates space to clarify misunderstandings and fosters a sense of collaboration. Your goal is for your team to understand that you’re all working together toward the same objective and that you have their best interests at heart.
To encourage a productive dialogue, ask open-ended questions that start with “What…?” or “How…?” For example, you might ask, “How do you feel about this feedback?” or “What challenges did you face?” While questions starting with “Why…?” are also open-ended, they can come across as accusatory, so it’s best to avoid them and stick with “What” and “How.”
Offer Solutions and Support
Because you’ve set clear expectations from the start, you can refer back to those original expectations if something doesn’t meet them. This allows you to provide constructive suggestions for improvement and offer support where necessary, such as additional training or resources. For example, you might say, “If you need help prioritizing tasks, we can discuss strategies to keep you on track.”
Follow Up
Finally, check in with your team after delivering the feedback to see if they’ve implemented it and offer further support or reinforcement. Here, you demonstrate your commitment to their growth and ongoing improvement.
How will you know if your feedback delivery was effective? The ultimate answer is whether you see the desired change that you were suggesting. If you see it, great! If not, you’ll need to consider a different approach with the individual. You might even ask them as part of the follow-up to see how they feel the changes are going.
Other Feedback Tips
As previously mentioned, feedback should be task-specific, delivered promptly, and focused on behavior or action rather than on the person. With that in mind, below are a few additional tips to enhance your team’s receptivity to your feedback.
- Express your observations and feelings using first-person statements to avoid sounding accusatory. For example, say, “I noticed that…” or “I feel that…”
- While it is a good idea to acknowledge strengths and achievements along with the areas for improvement, avoid offering gratuitous praise to soften the blow of constructive feedback, as it will diminish your message. Also avoid sandwiching your constructive feedback in between praise at the beginning and end of your message. This is often called a ‘feedback sandwich’ or, sometimes, a ‘sh!t sandwich,’ and this approach is almost never effective
- Choose an appropriate environment for the feedback discussion, ensuring privacy and minimizing distractions.
- Be future-oriented. Discuss ways to improve or specific actions for future success rather than solely discussing past mistakes.
- Support your feedback with specific examples to illustrate your points and make it easier for the recipient to understand. Connect your feedback to outcomes as well, so that the recipient understands the ‘why’ behind your message.
- Avoid waiting until annual or semi-annual reviews to inform people they are not meeting expectations. Those meetings should represent a summary of the prior period and shouldn’t feature new information. When possible, share your feedback in the moment instead.
- Whenever you feel disappointed in someone, ask yourself where you missed setting clear expectations or how you could be clearer in the future before meeting with the report. At times, the issue may lie on our end and not with the individual.
Turning Productive Feedback into Action
Mastering the art of providing feedback takes practice, so don’t be discouraged if you find it challenging at first. It’s important to continue honing this skill, as the impact of effective feedback is undeniable. When delivered thoughtfully, feedback enhances individual performance, strengthens team dynamics, and fosters a culture of continuous growth.
By being specific, timely, and supportive, you can transform feedback into a constructive tool that motivates and empowers others. Your team will benefit from a culture rooted in trust, communication, and shared progress.
Remember, your words have the power to inspire meaningful change.
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