Tips for Providing Feedback to Senior Colleagues

In any collaborative environment, providing constructive and thoughtful feedback is a skill that can elevate both individuals and teams. Here's a quick guide to mastering the art of giving good feedback: Address the behavior or outcome you want to discuss with precision. Specific feedback is more actionable and easier to understand. Additionally, provide feedback as close to the event as possible, ensuring its relevance and impact. -Begin by acknowledging what went well. Positive reinforcement sets a constructive tone and helps the recipient understand their strengths, fostering a more receptive mindset for improvement. -Frame your feedback in a way that encourages growth rather than focusing solely on mistakes. Offer solutions or alternatives, guiding the individual toward improvement. Avoid personal attacks and maintain a professional, supportive tone. -Express your feedback from a personal perspective using "I" statements. This approach helps avoid sounding accusatory and emphasizes your observations or feelings about the situation. -Critique actions and behaviors rather than judge the person's character. This helps the individual understand what specific actions can be adjusted or improved. -Feedback should be a two-way street. Encourage the recipient to share their perspective, thoughts, and potential solutions. A collaborative discussion fosters a sense of ownership and commitment to improvement. -A healthy feedback mix includes both positive reinforcement and developmental guidance. Recognize achievements and strengths while offering insights into areas for growth. This balance creates a well-rounded view and motivates continuous improvement. -Pay attention to your tone and body language when delivering feedback. A respectful and empathetic approach enhances the impact of your message. Ensure your feedback aligns with your intention to support and guide rather than criticize. -Effective feedback doesn't end with delivery. Follow up to check progress, provide additional guidance, and show ongoing support. This reinforces the idea that feedback is a continuous process aimed at improvement. -Just as you provide feedback, be open to receiving feedback on your communication style. Continuous improvement applies to everyone, and being receptive to constructive criticism enhances your ability to provide effective feedback in the future. Remember, the goal of good feedback is to inspire growth and improvement. By incorporating these principles, you contribute to a positive and collaborative environment where individuals and teams can thrive. What would you add?

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗜𝘀…𝗔𝗦𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦? Too often leaders mistakenly have a mindset that the central action in providing effective feedback is TELLING others how their behaviors either need to be developed, changed, or stopped to improve their performance. The best leaders understand that the most important skills for providing effective feedback are ASKING QUESTIONS and LISTENING. In today’s matrixed, virtual and ever-changing world very few feedback conversations are so clear cut that there isn’t a need for the leader to hear perspectives and gather more information. Many times, giving difficult feedback is made even harder because of the fact that the leader has to provide feedback about behaviors that they didn’t witness first-hand. It is a rare occasion that the feedback that needs to be shared is so critical or urgent that it justifies a leader not taking time to ask questions and listen. 𝟯 𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗤𝗨𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗦𝗨𝗖𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗙𝗨𝗟 𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗗𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝟭) 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗨𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 After introducing the issue, transition to asking questions. Asking questions demonstrates the leader doesn't have all the information and they want to hear the employee's perspective before deciding what feedback is necessary. Example questions: • How do you think it went? • What went well? What could be improved? • What challenges were you encountering? 𝟮) 𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦 Often leaders make the mistake of directly moving to sharing their solutions for how the employee should improve instead of taking the time to ask the employee solution-oriented questions. These questions invite the employee to be an active participant in the problem-solving process. Example questions: • What are your ideas for next steps? • How can we work together to make progress? 𝟯) 𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗖𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬 It is frustrating to have an effective feedback conversation and then receiving no updates about action or progress. Often this lack of follow through is because the leader has not taken the time to create explicit agreements for next steps. Example questions: • What are your next steps? • When will these steps be completed? • How will you keep me updated on progress? What are your ideas for creating a healthy feedback culture? Share your COMMENTS below. ⤵️ To learn more about this post read my LinkedIn newsletter article, What Organizations And Leaders Get Wrong About Creating A Healthy Feedback Culture: https://lnkd.in/ejk4HX2x #humanresources #leadership #careers

I just released a free guide to giving feedback for software engineers The guide is split in 2 parts: 1. How to make giving feedback easy way before you need to give it 2. A 7-step feedback framework for even the most difficult feedback conversations--credit to executive coach Jess Goldberg Being able to give candid feedback is a superpower. It allows you to avoid stressful, built-up tension and have conversations with your coworkers that actually strengthen your relationship! As a preview, here's the TLDR of the feedback process: 1. Look inward first. Know your intent - Ensure you are sharing the feedback for the right reason. Not to vent, but to help the other person. 2. Get permission - When in doubt, confirm with the other person. This allows them to opt in and prevents backlash. 3. Show you care - The most important step. Let them know the reason you are sharing is because you care. 4. State your observations - Stick to the facts of the situation. These should hardly be debatable. Call out the common problem. 5. Explain the impact - Help the other person understand why it matters. Is it impacting you, others, or the business? 6. Get their thoughts - You’re solving a problem together. Get their take on it. 7. Align on next steps - Ensure it’s clear what to do moving forward. You don't always need to use all of these steps, but they are there if you need them to tackle even the hardest feedback conversations. Check out the full article along with examples and personal stories here: https://lnkd.in/ec9acV2c

Not sure where to start with giving feedback? Try the SBI model. I first learned about this technique when I was working at the Center for Creative Leadership. We used it all the time to handle conflict and give meaningful feedback. Let’s dive in: 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Clearly explain the context and situation in which the behavior happened. (i.e. “When we were all eating lunch in the break room last week…”) 𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿: Detail the exact behavior, focusing on objective facts, rather than emotion. (i.e. “They laughed and made references to something inappropriate and unrelated to work…”) 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: Explain how the behavior affected you, allowing the person to understand the impact of their actions. (i.e. “It made me feel uncomfortable…hampering my abilities to focus and feel like a part of the team.”) Why do I like SBI? It allows the recipient to clearly understand what they did and how it affected others, making it easier for them to change their behavior. Try it next time you’re struggling to give feedback.

Your primary role as a leader is to develop your team members. Providing regular, timely feedback is a necessary aspect of helping them reach their potential. But sometimes, feedback can unintentionally come across as criticism, making teams defensive rather than inspired. The difference lies in your approach. Where Leaders Go Wrong: 1) 🕛 Timing: Jumping on mistakes as they happen can make team members feel targeted. 2) 👥 Setting: Offering criticism in front of peers and in a public forum can embarrass and demoralize. 3) 🗣 Lack of Specificity: Vague feedback leaves team members confused about how to improve. Here’s how to ensure feedback is useful: 1) ⏸ Pause and Plan: Give yourself time to consider and frame the feedback. This allows you to approach the situation with a clear, constructive plan rather than a reactive comment. 2) 👨🏫 Choose the Right Setting: Feedback should be a private conversation, not a public spectacle. This creates a safe space for open dialogue. 3) 🎯 Be Specific and Actionable: Clearly articulate what needs improvement and offer specific, actionable steps to achieve this. Set benchmarks and measurements for growth and follow-up. This shows your commitment to their growth. 4) 🚩 Focus on the Behavior, Not the Person: Emphasize that the feedback is about actions and outcomes, not personal attributes. This encourages a growth mindset. 5) 🗣 Invite Dialogue: Feedback is a two-way street. Encourage your team members to share their perspectives, fostering a collaborative approach to improvement. Next time you have feedback to give, apply these 5 steps. You’ll find defensiveness shifts to receptivity and results. #feedback #growth #communication #leadership #executivecoaching

Feedback is fuel for high-performing teams. But achieving the level of trust necessary for brutal honesty is nearly impossible. Instead, you can structure your feedback so it’s both honest to you and heard by them. Here’s how: 1️⃣ When you ____ This is what the camera saw—facts and nothing else. Do not embellish or you'll break the spell. “When you presented to the client.” 2️⃣ I experienced ____ This is what you perceived, how you felt, your opinion of the situation (not them). Because it is objectively yours, it cannot be debated as long as you don't drift into "Why" they did it. “I experienced your presentation as overly detailed and not aligned to the customer’s stated need.” 3️⃣ That resulted in ____ These are outcomes, ideally as close to measurable business results as possible. If your team has OKRs or tracks operational metrics, try to connect them if possible. "That resulted in us losing the renewal of a long-standing account. " Once you’ve provided the feedback, shut up and listen. Avoid the temptation to clutter it up with caveats and unnecessary detail. You’ll be lucky if they fully hear your primary message. If they’re stunned silent, keep it simple: - "Do you agree?" - "What’s your reaction?" - "Did you experience it differently?" And most importantly: Listen to their response. You’re just as likely to learn something as they are. Feedback done well is a conversation, not a conviction. If you found this helpful and want more practical leadership tactics in your feed, give me a follow Dave Kline. And check out my full MGMT Playbook on Delivering Feedback That Empowers in the comments below.

7 Tips to Help with the one thing Leaders avoid most Some parts of leadership are fun and feel like a privilege. Giving difficult feedback is not one of those. It is nerve wracking - often delayed or avoided all together. We worry about how it will be received, that it may damage the relationship. Here are 7 tips to help you give the GIFT of difficult feedback: 1/ Remember that this is part of being a leader. All good employees appreciate clear and actionable feedback, even when it’s tough. 2/ Get to the point - their radar has already told them you have something to say - say it. 3/ Be direct - avoid the temptation to sugarcoat, qualify, or layer with positives. It is confusing. 4/ Frame the feedback - be clear about the impact of the behavior. What issue is it creating? How is it holding back the employee? Impacting results? 5/ Have examples - your specific observations will help them understand faster. Example - Last week when you did X, I saw that it created Y and that had Z impact on our goal. 6/ Listen - allow employees to process, respond. They may have questions or strong emotions. Just listen…and if they don’t speak, use silence. Avoid the temptation to respond in kind to any provocation or emotion. 7/ Partner - help them figure out what ‘better’ looks like. Ask for their ideas, make suggestions. Let them own the response, but ask how you can help them and be willing to do it. ✅Good employees love specific, actionable feedback. Don’t hold back, it is a gift that helps them grow. ++++++++++++ 💡I post Actionable Leadership Insights🤔 📈Follow me to accelerate your growth and your path to personal freedom⛱️ Or Connect if you are cheeky 😉 #Leadership #PersonalDevelopment #Management #Business

🔖 Bookmark this: The 5-step recipe for delivering direct feedback. No sugar-coating necessary. ⤵ Wes Kao (co-founder at Maven) had a thought-provoking post last week on how over-emphasizing proper delivery deters managers from giving feedback. She's right. Delivering feedback can be challenging. Even downright scary. 😨 Some people get defensive. And managers may get the false impression that, in order for feedback to be well-received, it needs to be delivered extremely delicately and expertly. When this seems too daunting, they give up on giving feedback altogether, and everyone suffers. Here's the thing: 📣 Giving feedback need not be difficult. 📣 You don't need Brene Brown levels of empathy to deliver constructive feedback with kindness. In fact, the kindest feedback is the most direct feedback. Here's how to do it: 1️⃣ Step 1: Set the context. Good feedback is rooted in facts. If you're going give someone feedback, it's best to reference a concrete example. E.g. "In our last staff meeting..." 2️⃣ Step 2: Call out the behavior. Be specific here. What did the person do that was not ideal? E.g. ".=You interrupted Bruce twice while he was making a suggestion." 3️⃣ Step 3: Explain how that led to an undesirable outcome. This is important. Calling out someone's behavior can put them on the defensive. But framing it in terms of outcomes de-personalizes the issue and realigns both parties around shared goals. E.g. "He stopped talking after that. The team also refrained from asking more questions, which means we lost out on potentially valuable opinions." 4️⃣ Step 4: Suggest corrective action. What can the person do differently next time? This can also include remediation steps if the situation requires it. E.g. "Next time you're presenting, I'd like to see you really pause to listen until the person has finished talking before responding." 5️⃣ Step 5: Pause and make space for response. Managers often overdo their feedback. Keep it simple. Just pause, and let the person respond. E.g. "Does that make sense? How do you feel about this?" That's it. Notice what it doesn't include: ✖ Apologizing ("I'm really sorry but...") ✖ Over-generalizations ("you always...") ✖ Criticism ("you're bad at...") ✖ Hearsay ("people say...") Other tricks to make giving feedback easier: ✅ Give feedback soon after the incident ✅ Make sure you're in a private ✅ Feel free to acknowledge the awkwardness ("I don't love giving constructive feedback, but I know this is important, so here goes.") I hope this was helpful. Follow me for more career tips like this!

It's performance review season -- time for giving feedback at work. Many people are not comfortable with this part of people leadership but it is essential to helping your team members grow. For my "Leading Fearlessly" column, I turned to top local leaders for advice on how to give feedback in a constructive manner and I received great tips from each of them. Here is what Elizabeth Nigut, executive vice president at EMC Insurance Companies, had to say: "Effectively delivering feedback can be challenging for both the recipient and the person delivering. It is important for leaders and team members to develop an agreed-upon approach for delivering feedback. It’s helpful to have that existing framework to refer back to when the need arises. When it does, I first examine my own intent behind the feedback to ensure I am running a check on my assumptions and biases. I also recommend writing feedback down to help in that process, and to be thoughtful about aligning my intent with the anticipated impact on the recipient. It is important to have developed a trusting relationship with the person, as I want to make sure that our relationship remains intact and is strengthened by the ability to have an open conversation. I have found it helpful to foster openness and reduce anxiety and defensiveness by expressing my intent behind the feedback, as well as letting them know I care about them as a person and their professional growth. I ask if they are open to receiving feedback and if the time is good. I want to balance providing timely and specific feedback with the potential that outside forces may be affecting their work. After sharing, I ask open-ended questions such as what their thoughts are; what may be going on in their world; or how they are feeling, to allow them to process and respond so their experience and perspective is heard. I like to ensure clarity between the feedback that was delivered and what the recipient understands. Then, we can agree on any actions that should be taken, what resources may be needed or how I can help. I also ask for feedback on how I delivered the message and how I can improve. The goal is deepening the trusting relationship, learning and growing, creating accountability and providing support." You can read the entire "Leading Fearlessly" column in the Des Moines Business Record's FEARLESS publication here: https://bit.ly/3tmJjGS. Stay tuned for more advice from Emily Abbas and Jody Gifford (she/her). #Leadership #Leadershipdevelopment #womenleaders #Culture #feedback

Wondering why your feedback isn't resonating? Here are 4 steps for giving feedback in a way that it can be received: Step 1: Define the behavior you noticed: ✅ Behavior: “I noticed you raised your voice in the meeting.” 🚫 Judgment: “You were really angry in that meeting.” Step 2: Ask questions: ✅ "Did you notice that?" 🚫 "Why did you do that?" (Avoid “why” - it can be considered accusatory and judgmental!) Then, listen! Step 3: Explain the impact: ✅ "When you raise your voice, I could see people tuning out, and it’s a shame because you had some really valid points." 🚫 "You really upset people. You need to apologize." Step 4: Explain behavior alternatives: ✅ "Next time, try to keep your voice a bit more even so when you have a great point, it can be heard. You may want to follow up with those in the meeting who may not have heard the message." 🚫 "Don’t do that again!" In giving feedback, it's best to think of it as a two-way conversation about behavior. Where leaders often go wrong is by letting their own judgments slip into the feedback. No one enjoys being judged. It leads to feeling bad about oneself, tuning out, and not taking the guidance seriously. Plus, it's a surefire way to damage trust. How do you approach giving feedback? Share your strategies below! . . . #Feedback #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerCoach #BestAdvice