7 Tips for Delivering Negative Feedback                    to Create Positive Outcomes

Those in leadership need to coach and guide their team members along the path to success.

The feedback needs to be delivered in a manner which will be helpful to the growth of the individual, the future success of the team, and beneficial for the company. That can be a challenging skill for many in leadership, especially when the feedback is negative. No one likes to give negative feedback any more than any of us like being the recipient.

Criticism as a Coaching Tool

There is a way, however, to provide constructive criticism which, even though it stings the individual momentarily, benefits all involved. Being a leader requires you to help everyone on your team improve. At times feedback includes reviewing the “game tape” and reinforcing what led to the well-executed win. Other times, feedback helps point out where things went wrong. To offer negative feedback, as difficult as it can be, is a gift and it’s essential that the gift be received as positively as possible.

As with any criticism, there is a finesse involved in giving encouraging feedback. You must counsel, coach and motivate in a way that helps your team member(s) recognize specific areas that need improvement, and what must be done to solve the issue.

Give Feedback Immediately-Provide your team member with your feedback as close to the incident as possible. If you are unable to respond immediately, or if the incident has been brought to your attention and requires some investigating, don’t wait. Get to the bottom of what happened and then approach the responsible individual ASAP. Time can cause details to become hazy, and recollection can change and muddy the communication process.

Make Your Point-Many times, we try to soften the blow of negative feedback by beating around the bush or not adequately communicating the issue in the hope the individual will deduce the problem. As a leader, you must get right to the point. Don’t get too conversational or your point will be lost.

Offer Your View of the Problem-Describe exactly how you observe the issue, objectively, by detailing the scenario. This will give your valued team member a view into how you see things and why he or she may need some coaching to maintain a professional attitude.

• Example: “I noticed you interrupted the rep from ABC company. You seemed impatient and rude.”

Make the Connection-Much like getting to the point, helping your team member to make the connection, by using specifics, not generalities, will be much more useful in providing them a path to improvement.

• Example: “When you were interacting with the rep from ABC company, you were noticeably short with them. Can you tell me about that?” is more effective at helping them connect to behaviors than “You seem to exhibit hostility toward clients from time to time.”

Provide a Path to Improvement-Once you’ve made clear the connection between the employee and the reason for the negative feedback; you need to immediately discuss next steps. Most individuals will feel a little wounded after receiving a critical review. This is the time to be that leader and coach them on next moves. They may not be receptive, at the moment, to a step-by-step plan, but they will be open to that nudge toward improvement. Give your team member time to absorb the feedback. Then schedule some “coaching time” for the two of you.

Coach in Private-Though it’s never your intent to criticize and shame anyone, you can’t predict how the individual will feel when they receive criticism in front of the team. Always deliver negative feedback in private, and provide your assistance on their path to improvement behind closed doors as well. This is between you and a valuable member of your team. For the success of your ongoing relationship, never break the trust by calling anyone out in public.

Don’t Forget to Give Credit When Due-You never want to give only negative feedback. Even delivered in the most careful manner, all-negative feedback can tear down the individual and impact their future with the company. As a leader, your job is to help the person improve for him or herself and the good of the team. Be sure to let them know you relate to the frustration they may feel in that particular instance (attitude toward a difficult client, for example), but that you appreciate the professionalism they have shown in the past, and you know they are capable of restraint.

• Example: “When you worked with the DEF account I know there were some challenges, but you rose to those challenges in the most professional way.”

Remember Your Leadership Skills

To ensure that your feedback is going to be received as a means to improvement, you need to begin to create an atmosphere of engagement and trust. As a respected leader, your feedback will be respected as well. All leadership skills work to the benefit of your team and when you promote trust and engage with your staff from the beginning, you’ll earn their respect. By incorporating these steps into your delivery, the negative feedback will be seen as constructive, and you’ll be recognized as a caring and thoughtful leader.

Remember the importance of your task and keep your frustration and anger in check. Realize your team member may not even be aware there’s a problem. You don’t want them to feel attacked by exhibiting your own hostility.

Put your message in writing, so both of you understand it. Some individuals will take your negative feedback as an affront, or run with it and begin questioning everything they do. Guard against this outcome by writing a clear and concise account of the occurrence which has prompted this feedback.

Most of all, be patient. As a leader, it’s up to you to provide the opportunity to improve. Make sure you give your team member time to incorporate your coaching into practice. It may take some time, but the outcome will be worth the effort.