No one enjoys giving or receiving feedback that they aren’t doing something correctly. However, constructive feedback is important so that an employee can improve and set themselves up for success throughout their career. 

Managers must master giving constructive feedback in order to build a successful team and help prepare their employees to move up in their careers. There is a way to deliver feedback without demeaning or being too harsh. Here are eight tips to help you do so. 

Table of Contents

1. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes 
2. Avoid surprising the person 
3. Be thoughtful about your timing 
4. Keep it private
5. Be specific 
6. Provide improvement solutions 
7. Add in positive feedback
8. Be open to the other person’s perspective 

Put yourself in the other person’s shoes 

Before delivering feedback, try to imagine how you would want the interaction to go if you were the one receiving it. How would you want your manager to approach you? You would also probably want to know specifically how you could improve to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

It’s easiest to assume that the person receiving feedback will appreciate knowing how to better themselves as a worker. 

Avoid surprising the person 

If possible, schedule the meeting and inform the person that it will be used to discuss feedback about their employment. You never want to make someone feel caught off-guard or intimidated.

You could also provide a review worksheet for the employee to fill out ahead of time to see how they think they are doing, creating the opportunity for them to reflect and prepare ahead of time. 

Be thoughtful about your timing 

If someone seems to be having a tough day, or a tough week, wait until they are calmer and in a more receptive place. The same goes for if you are having a bad day or week.

You want to make sure everyone’s emotions are neutral to avoid saying things that don’t need to be said, or people taking things harsher than necessary. That being said, you can’t put feedback off forever. 

Keep it private

Make sure never to single out an employee during a group meeting or in a public setting. If the employee feels embarrassed or attacked, they will most likely become defensive and not hear the feedback.

If there is a situation that occurs that needs to be handled immediately, calmly ask the employee aside and give them feedback away from others.  

Be specific 

Offering clear and specific feedback is critical. Avoid any confusion by getting to the point quickly and referencing situations that demonstrate the problematic behavior. 

Provide improvement solutions 

It’s easy to assume that the person receiving the feedback is on the same page as you, and your feedback might be very clear to you, but remember that the person might not know what you mean specifically or even remember what occurrence you may be referencing if you are not specific.

Make sure to check in with them while giving feedback to make sure they understand it the way you intend. 

Add in positive feedback

Where it is relevant in the feedback, include positive feedback of the employee’s performance. Make sure it is genuine positive feedback and that you are not just saying something positive to make yourself feel less uncomfortable about giving feedback. 

Be open to the other person’s perspective 

This should be a conversation between you and the person receiving the feedback. By giving them the chance to discuss the feedback, you may understand why they were doing something in a specific way or why they have been performing differently, etc. This can also be where you reference a review worksheet you provided. You can also ask the employee what their preferred learning methods are, or if they prefer specific work to help both of you grow and improve. 

Mastering constructive feedback may not be easy, but managers need to include it as part of their job duties to help their employees grow and hopefully one day become managers themselves.