How to Get Comfortable Delivering Feedback
By Amy Jacques
September 2024
As a manager, it’s important to be able to share feedback with your employees. If the conversation is productive and executed correctly, then it can yield a more positive working relationship, according to a recent article in the Harvard Business Review.
Make sure that you are providing your team with “timely, helpful and honest” feedback. And remember to have a dialogue, sharing what you both think and acknowledging each other’s thoughts and opinions, rather than talking at someone. This way, “you’re likely to get new information, additional perspectives, and even reactions to the feedback that you should consider,” the article says.
Many people have misconceptions about the feedback process, especially since these conversations are always “long and drawn out.” However, a fast-paced one-on-one can be just as useful as a lengthy one if you share the behavior you’re seeing and the employee is responsive.
While you can’t control how a team member feels, you can help manage reactions and expectations. Keeping the lines of communication open and talking regularly can improve your relationship and prevent both parties from getting more upset.
Sometimes, you may be working with a “feedback magnet,” who readily accepts and acts on feedback. Conversations with this type of person may be quick and occur regularly, and they are likely to be proactive. Other times, your team members may not be as self-aware or self-motivated, leading to longer and more nuanced conversations.
Your feedback may need more context, people may not understand what you’re saying the first time, or perhaps you don’t understand their perspective and you need to do more listening. It’s also possible that there may be a negative reaction or a disagreement, and both parties need time to regroup.
Although your feedback may be taken the wrong way or hurt someone’s feelings, it’s important to still share your concerns in an effective, timely and direct way. Otherwise, your team members won’t know what they’re doing well, where they need to develop, what the expectations are or how to get there, says HBR.
Leave room to ask the employee if your feedback is helpful and if there’s anything you can do to improve as a manager or to be a better resource or mentor to them.
Here are a few tips on how to get comfortable giving feedback:
- Ensure that it's a two-way conversation.
- Keep chats brief and to the point.
- Offer frequent feedback instead of waiting.
- Understand that feedback doesn't need to be perfect.
- Listen and consider the other perspective.
Amy Jacques
Amy Jacques is the managing editor of publications for PRSA. A native of Greenville, S.C., she holds a master’s degree in arts journalism from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in advertising from the University of Georgia’s Grady College and a certificate in magazine and website publishing from New York University.
