It's something we all need. It's something we all need to give. Yet, it can be challenging to offer or receive quality feedback. Here are some suggestions for offering feedback.
Stay with the Positive
The person you are giving feedback wants to hear the positive...they really do. And it's likely....they need to hear it. If you have a personality type like mine (Brent), you need to hear what you are doing right on a regular basis.
I have a friend in a large corporation. One of the key leaders focuses only on what needs to be fixed...always emphasizing the negative. He rarely mentions anything positive. That's the culture of the company....and it breeds frustration and mistrust between management and regular employees. No matter what your employee or colleague has done wrong, you can find something positive. Find it first and offer them words of encouragement.
Be Specific
Don't just say 'You did a good job this month!'. Tell them why.
Here's an example: You did a great job leading the new team project. You engaged well with the team, helped them to see what they needed to accomplish, and helped them to succeed.
Inspire... don't Scold
Of course, you want to offer positive words to others. You also want to inspire them to keep up their good work.
Your management skills really developed this quarter. I heard positive feedback from several of your employees.
Keep up the good work and keep developing those management skills. You've got a bright future in this company if you keep up this good work!
Keep Practicing
You won't get it perfect every time.
And that's ok. If you are sincere and you keep after it...you're employees and colleagues will respect you....and you'll get better and better at it.
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