Feedback is a gift! If yours hasn't been deserving of a big red bow, maybe the delivery could use a little work.
While it's a good idea to be as prompt as possible in delivering feedback, it's more important to be in control. If the topic is potentially volatile, give yourself and anyone else involved chance to cool down before starting the feedback session. Even if it's not a hot issue, take the time to collect your observations and plan what you'll say.
In order to set a climate of trust and collaboration, try starting the feedback session by asking the other person how s/he felt about what happened. This can help reduce defensiveness and you may learn something you didn't know.
The purpose of effective feedback is to reinforce and improve behavior. Your feedback should focus on observable actions, not judgments or opinions. Give specific examples of what you heard and saw and what the outcome of the action was. It's okay to say how the incident under discussion made you feel, but make sure your feedback is primarily focused on the facts of what occurred.
Feedback is not a one-way street. After you've had your say, be quiet and let the other person respond. Use your best listening skills: no interrupting, and pay attention! When s/he is done, confirm your understanding of what was said.
If you didn't expect a change as a result of your feedback, you shouldn't have had the discussion in the first place. Be clear about your expectations for change and work with the other person to decide how to proceed.
Great tips! I wish my old boss could read this.
smart list about feedback. h5
You're rockin girl. This is a great list and oh so true. If you don't want to know don't ask.
select one here...