Giving negative feedback can be intimidating, but it’s part of encouraging your team to strive to its full potential. These tips will offer how to communicate negative feedback effectively and how to move forward from a less-than-stellar performance review.
One of the most difficult aspects of being a manager is the necessity of giving negative feedback during a performance evaluation. As challenging as the scenario can be, it doesn’t have to be a discouraging experience. Providing constructive criticism is integral to building a strong team with employees who can rely on you to be honest and supportive.
Areen Shahbari, CEO of Shahbari Training & Consultancy and instructor of several Harvard Professional & Executive Development leadership courses, says that constructive feedback should be a learning experience for everyone involved.
“Providing feedback is an opportunity for the employee to know how they can improve and grow,” she says. “It is a chance to enhance their skills and capabilities.”
This blog post will offer tips on how to give negative feedback effectively — and how to continue to grow in the future.
Giving negative feedback is one of the most dreaded yet important responsibilities for anyone in a management position. Constructive criticism, when delivered correctly, provides guidance and motivation for improvement. However, negative feedback can easily demoralize employees if not handled properly.
In this comprehensive guide we will walk through the intricacies of providing negative feedback in various workplace dynamics. With the right strategies, negative feedback can build trust accountability and stronger teams.
Why Negative Feedback is Crucial
Negative feedback gets a bad reputation for being unpleasant. Many managers avoid giving constructive criticism in order to maintain a friendly rapport. However, failing to give feedback on poor performance can breed complacency, stagnation and eventual decline in team productivity.
Negative feedback serves several important functions
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It sets clear expectations and highlights areas that need improvement. Without feedback, employees operate blindly without a clear goal to work towards.
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It promotes growth and development. Constructive criticism gives employees an honest assessment of their skills and provides guidance for reaching their full potential.
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It increases employee engagement. Studies show that employees desire feedback, even if it’s negative. They want managers who care enough to advise and assist them.
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It prevents bigger problems down the road. Small issues that go unaddressed can snowball into major setbacks that damage team morale.
The key is delivering negative feedback in a thoughtful manner focused on improvement, not punishment. Feedback should inspire, not deflate.
How to Give Negative Feedback to Peers
Criticizing those on your same level requires diplomacy and care. Follow these tips when giving negative feedback to peers:
Set up a private discussion in advance – Don’t ambush your peer with public criticism on the spot. Request a one-on-one meeting in a comfortable setting where you can discuss openly.
Clarify your supportive intentions – Begin by explaining this is meant to be a constructive dialogue to help each other improve. Make it clear your goal is to be transparent and helpful, not combative.
Focus comments on work, not the person – Criticize the behavior itself, not your peer’s character. Saying “The Henderson report had several errors in the data” is very different from “You were sloppy with the Henderson report.”
Provide specific examples – Vague, generalized statements confuse more than help. Provide detailed instances of errors or poor decisions to illustrate your concerns.
Listen to their perspective – After presenting your criticisms, allow your peer to respond. There may be mitigating factors or alternative viewpoints you haven’t considered.
Develop solutions together – Offer your advice but also ask your peer for input on improving progress. Developing next steps collaboratively leads to greater buy-in.
Giving negative feedback horizontally to a fellow employee takes sensitivity. The goal is increasing performance, not passing judgment.
How to Give Negative Feedback to Managers
Voicing criticism upward to those in authority brings added challenges:
Choose your focus carefully – Decide what exactly needs to be addressed and avoid nitpicking small annoyances. Target important issues impacting work.
Frame feedback as constructive, not combative – Make it clear your goal is to share recommendations, not attack. Use tentative phrasing like “In my opinion, I believe…” rather than definitive accusations.
Provide examples and data – Back up claims with concrete evidence like performance metrics, reports or examples. Data lends credibility.
Suggest alternatives – After presenting your concerns, propose potential solutions for improvement. This shifts the tone to problem-solving.
Express appreciation for their leadership – Start by thanking your boss for their openness to feedback. Bookend critical feedback between acknowledgements of what they do well.
Managers hold formal authority, so tact is required. Phrase negative feedback as helpful suggestions, not orders or demands. The goal is a productive partnership, not switching roles.
How to Give Negative Feedback to Employees
Managing others comes with the responsibility of providing instruction through praise and criticism. Guide underperforming employees with these tips:
Schedule periodic feedback sessions – Don’t just spring criticism during annual reviews. Provide regular check-ins to monitor progress and address issues early.
Ask employees to self-assess first – Get their opinion on their own performance. This encourages critical thinking and opens them to feedback.
Align criticism with core values – Tie your negative feedback to larger company goals and priorities. This emphasizes how deficiencies impact the bigger picture.
Define next steps and follow up – Don’t just criticize – offer pathways to improvement. Collaborate on action plans with specific deadlines to follow up on progress.
Balance negative with positive – Criticism is difficult to hear. Soften the blow by highlighting their strengths and acknowledge their solid contributions as well.
Remain clear but sympathetic – Your tone should convey authority but not aggression. Employees should feel supported, not diminished or patronized.
Managing the emotions and motivations of staff requires nuance in delivering negative feedback. The goal is illuminating the path forward, not punishment.
Common Problems to Avoid
Negative feedback can backfire spectacularly if handled improperly. Some common pitfalls to avoid include:
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Getting personal – Attacking someone’s personality rather than their work erodes trust and provokes defensiveness.
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Losing your cool – Angry outbursts undermine your leadership. Calm, rational discourse is more likely to motivate change.
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Feedback sandwich – Buffering criticism between flattery undercuts your message. The negative feedback becomes lost between meaningless praise.
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Lack of details – General complaints without concrete examples confuse rather than instruct. Employees need clear illustrations of the deficiencies.
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Infrequent feedback – Workers require consistent reinforcement, both positive and negative. Occasional feedback sabotages progress.
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Paper trails – Written criticism in emails, memos or performance reviews causes words to linger. In-person conversations allow rapport to develop.
Delivering negative feedback in a clumsy, insensitive manner almost guarantees it will be rejected. Thoughtfulness in how criticism gets delivered and framed is crucial.
Helpful Mindsets for Providing Feedback
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Coaching mentality – Position yourself as a mentor guiding improvement, not as a judge delivering a verdict.
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Two-way conversation – Feedback should prompt open dialogue, not a one-sided lecture. Listen and learn from responses.
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Seeking alignment, not conflict – Present feedback as an attempt to constructively align perspectives and goals, not start a fight.
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Future focused – Dwelling on past mistakes breeds guilt. Maintain an outlook focused on growth and development.
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We’re in this together – Foster shared responsibility for improvement rather than isolation and blame.
How you frame the feedback process heavily influences how your message gets received. Approach it as collaborative, not combative.
Key Takeaways for Delivering Negative Feedback
Providing effective negative feedback is crucial to team development. Some core principles to keep in mind:
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Schedule private conversations promptly when issues emerge
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Clearly describe specific deficiencies and their impacts
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Offer constructive suggestions for improvement
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Remain calm and rational in your delivery
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Balance negative feedback with acknowledgement of strengths
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Maintain a coaching orientation focused on growth
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Follow up to ensure progress and accountability
With care, diligence and emotional intelligence, managers can make negative feedback a nourishing rather than toxic experience. Handled properly, it unlocks employee potential and steers teams on a course to higher performance.
Delivering negative feedback is tricky but invaluable. Constructive criticism, when imparted effectively, enables growth, accountability and progress. Problems arise when feedback gets misinterpreted as a personal attack rather than impartial guidance.
Managers can improve negative feedback conversations through thoughtful preparation, maintaining a supportive tone, presenting clear examples, defining solutions collaboratively and following up consistently. With practice, managers can gain confidence communicating difficult messages that enrich individual and team development.
Giving excellent negative feedback means delivering the right message in the right way for the right reasons. Master this nuanced but essential management skill, and you enable an open, productive, honest dialogue that faces problems head on. Your team will rise to even greater heights when they know you will impart both praise and criticism with their best interests at heart.
What is the best way to deliver negative feedback in a performance review?
According to Jeremy Sutton, a researcher with a Ph.D. in psychology and physiology of human endurance from Ulster University, in-person conversations are best when delivering negative feedback.
“A phone call does not convey body language and may mask the nuances of the conversation,” he writes in a Positive Psychology article. “An email may have no apparent context, lack clarity, and land in the person’s inbox like a cartoon bomb waiting to explode when clicked.”
If there was a formal written review prior to the conversation, taking the time to discuss it with your employee afterward will allow your employee to ask questions and clear up any potential confusion.
The following are a few tips for having these conversations:
Don’t make it personal
When giving negative feedback to an employee, focus on their work, not on their personal character.
“Don’t confuse the person with their actions,” says Sutton. “Being personal will lead the recipient to shut down. They will be less likely to act on, or learn from, the points shared.”
Be clear and give specific examples about the issues at hand. This will provide more guidance to your employee so they will understand what to improve upon going forward.
Giving positive feedback by pointing out the ways your employee has consistently displayed positive outcomes can not only put them more at ease during a difficult conversation but is also a way of showing your genuine appreciation for them.
“A manager should act as a coach,” says Shahbari. “Pointing out areas of strengths is as important as pointing out areas for improvement.”
How to Give Negative Feedback Without People HATING YOU! 3-Steps to Giving Negative Feedback at Work
How do you give negative feedback to employees?
When giving negative feedback to an employee, focus on their work, not on their personal character. “Don’t confuse the person with their actions,” says Sutton. “Being personal will lead the recipient to shut down. They will be less likely to act on, or learn from, the points shared.” Be clear and give specific examples about the issues at hand.
How do you respond to negative feedback?
Be clear and direct: It’s important to ensure the employee you’re giving negative feedback fully understands what’s being said and what is expected of them. Say your feedback clearly and directly and follow-up with an email with the most important points if necessary.
Is feedback always negative?
Feedback isn’t always negative. Don’t persistently focus on what isn’t working or isn’t being done right. Attending to what is going well can support someone’s growth and steer their development in the right direction. Feedback isn’t always positive. On the other hand, don’t always focus on strengths.
What is the giving negative feedback positively worksheet?
The Giving Negative Feedback Positively worksheet from the Positive Psychology Toolkit© is a hugely popular tool that can be used to provide practical guidance on how to deliver negative feedback in a constructive way, conducive to wellbeing without being harsh and judgmental.
