Ross Sanner On Giving Good Feedback

There is no success, in business or in life, without making changes along the way. This is why giving and receiving feedback is so necessary for improvement and realizing the vision of a project. However, giving feedback is a weakness for many people. It’s understandable; for many, the phrase “I have feedback for you” can be tantamount to a personal attack. It’s all too easy to dance around the subject for fear of offending someone, but good feedback is mutually beneficial for the giver and the receiver.

If you are in a leadership position and frequently need to give productive feedback, here are some ways that you can create a positive impact without being too delicate or blunt.

While there aren’t established “rules” for giving feedback, a good place to start is knowing what you want to get out of the conversation. Similar to how good negotiators have a clear objective in mind that they try to work toward, giving good feedback should be planned. Do you want the person you’re speaking with to improve an unfinished project? Or do you need them to change their job performance some way? Get specific about the ways that you’d like to see improvement, and ensure that the person you’re speaking to understands what you mean. Ambiguity will only lead to additional problems down the line.

Even if your purpose in giving feedback is to see a change from another person, inject some positivity into the things you tell them. While preceding criticism with complimentary language may seem obvious for many, it is psychologically proven to make the person you are speaking with more open to suggestion. Turns out, a bit of flattery does get you somewhere.

And when you do have to criticize some aspect of the individual’s work ethic or demeanor, give concrete evidence rather than operating on your own thoughts. If you tell someone that they have been consistently late to meetings, note the frequency with which it has occurred. Stating facts instead of your own feelings will keep any criticism objective and keeps discussion on track.

Additionally, feedback should be given as soon as possible. With the example above, it would be better to address the issue soon after the individual in question was late for a meeting instead of waiting for an arbitrary time. If the experience is fresh in the person’s mind, they will be more cognizant about what they may need to improve on.

Once you’ve established to the other person what you’re speaking to them about, give them a chance to respond. Feedback is, after all, a two-way conversation. If they already have steps in mind to fix any potential issues, they may lay them out for you and you’ll find that their goals align with yours. Beyond this, everyone deserves a chance to give their own perspective on the situation, even if they made an unambiguously bad decision.

If the issue has not been addressed at this point, it’s on you to propose steps that may help in the future. Don’t be too in depth, but make it specific; you’re still not doing anybody favors by being ambiguous or avoiding the problem at hand.

Giving feedback is a difficult conversation that every professional will have to have at some point. Leaders are particularly responsible for ensuring positive behavior among their teams. However, if they know what they want and are willing to be patient and propose solutions for those working under them, feedback is a powerful tool that can shape the course of entire organizations.