As leaders, we owe it to our employees to give regular, constructive, timely feedback. This should include the positive, as well as areas for improvement- and should be done much more frequently than the yearly performance review. While nobody likes to discuss “areas for improvement,” there are ways to make the conversation easier and more productive.
Establish a Culture of Learning
The biggest thing you can do to ease these conversations is to define a culture of learning and safety. This should be a part of everything you do, from marketing initiatives to new product launches. In the context of employee feedback, the best way to create this culture is to be vulnerable yourself.
Welcome questions and criticisms. Ask for opinions or thoughts openly, and make the time to have these essential conversations. Thank them for sharing, and when appropriate demonstrate how you’ve implemented their ideas (or not, and explain why). This culture will set the tone for openness and psychological safety.
The idea is to instill the value of “feedback is a gift,” which is central to servant leadership. When given with the intention of helping the other person become better at their job, feedback should be seen as constructive, objective and helpful.
Set and Setting for Giving Feedback
Hearing feedback can be difficult, no matter how well it’s presented. You can’t control the other person’s reaction, but you can control the time and place of the conversation.
The number one rule- never give personal feedback in public. I watched a leader literally destroy a team by singling out an employee and shaming them in front of the entire company. Always give personal feedback in private.
Make it regular. Schedule bi-weekly or weekly one-on-one meetings with your employees and make them a top priority. This gives them a chance to prepare and doesn’t catch them at a bad time.
Be mindful of your presence. Try to have the conversation at a table where you are both facing each other and are at equal height.
Establish a relationship between a committed listener and receiver. Put the phone down, and keep your focus on each other. Show respect for their time and presence by being there fully for them.
How to Give Constructive Feedback
- Know what you want and focus on that. Avoid getting into what you DON’T want. For example, “We need you to be on time for team meetings” focuses on the positive, where “Please stop being late for team meetings” focuses on the negative.
- Stay aware of the mood. Is the other person shutting down, or becoming defensive? If so, reinforce the next step.
- Establish a common goal. “We all want to hit the quarterly goals, so we need your reports on time.” Keep going back to this common goal if the conversation starts to deteriorate into defensiveness.
- Establish mutual respect. In addition to the concepts in the Set and Setting section, remind them how valuable they are, and of the good work they’ve done. You’re talking about these issues to HELP them.
- Be clear with specific examples and explanations.
- Focus on the behavior, not the person.
- Explain the impact of their behavior.
If you create a culture that welcomes feedback, provide a safe setting, and follow the above tips, your conversation should go well. If you’re still nervous, try role-playing the conversation with someone first, or work with a coach.
Matt McLaughlin helps conscious companies build transformational leaders and teams. He has over 20 years of experience building high-performance teams and has practiced and taught meditation for 30 years. He brings a deep passion for companies that foster social and environmental sustainability and views business as a crucial component of societal change.
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