How can you give constructive feedback while keeping your team motivated?

Constructive feedback is all about mentoring. Identifying people’s weaknesses and helping to turn them into strengths is a sign of growth and ultimately will make a team that much stronger as a whole. Delivery is key and the recipient of the feedback needs to embrace it as a positive not negative trait on performance. Reflection is made on how it’s received and adopted to improve one’s performance.

To give constructive feedback while keeping your team motivated, you can: Be specific and focus on the behavior, not the person. Be timely and provide feedback soon after the behavior occurs. Be positive and focus on what the person can do better. Offer support and help the person develop their skills.

While your hard skills may open doors, it's your emotional intelligence that helps you not only stay in the room but thrive in it. Navigating feedback is truly an art, it dances between timeliness and emotions--often unpredictable. To master it, first adopt a neutral stance. Address and speak about observations of behavior or actions and their impact. Feedback isn't a mirror reflecting you; instead, guides others to a greater understanding and skill development. Either it's a commendation for a job well done, or a constructive roadway for improvement.

Eliminate the right to reply - Of course, after you follow the recommendations in the main article! - We are hardwired to defend ourselves, by eliminating the right to reply, at least for a couple of minutes, the receiver will be forced to process the feedback and look for opportunities to improve, focusing on the solution rather than what is wrong with your appreciation. At first, people might find this approach aggressive, but once they get used to it, it will help them go from feedback to action much faster.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the secret sauce in constructive feedback. It regrouped the self-perception (awareness), Self-expression (how people see you), Interpersonal skills (the ones used to interact with others and mainly used when giving feedback), Decision Making (helping to solve problems and reflect on reality), and last Stress Management (stress tolerance, flexibility, and optimism) It's about understanding and managing emotions, both yours and your team's. When giving feedback, EI allows you to navigate sensitivities with empathy, ensuring your message is received positively. It matters because a leader's EI sets the tone for a supportive work environment, fostering trust and motivation within the team.

Effective feedback starts with thoughtful preparation. Before the conversation, reflect on specific examples and gather data to support your points. Consider the individual's strengths and areas for growth. This preparation ensures your feedback is constructive, specific, and aligns with the team member's goals, making the conversation more impactful and solution-oriented. Your feedback needs to be based on fact, this is where your EQ related to reality testing triggers. You need to capture elements that will help the person understand the feedback and perhaps work on potential solutions to help the receiver grow.

Ensure that the feedback is actionable. It is pointless giving feedback that no one can do anything with - for example - “you need to be more visible”. What does this even mean? So make the feedback actionable, for example, “your work is great but our senior leaders are not aware of your leadership skills and your achievements. What if we raised your visibility by having you present to the Senior Leadership Team each month? Actionable feedback means that your feedback is valuable - and positive.

Follow The 4 Steps to Assertiveness 1) Explain the challenge or behaviour that is unacceptable. 2) Listen without responding or assuming 3) Reflect back what you have heard for clarification 4) Move towards a solution that meets the needs of both parties If you have not tried this before it will take time to perfect, as it does with any new skill. However, it you require a change of behaviour it will require a change in how you deal with things first.

Delivery is everything. Begin with positives to create a receptive atmosphere. Be specific about behaviors and their impact, avoiding vague statements. Use the "I feel", "I see" language to express your observations and feelings, fostering a collaborative dialogue. Make it a two-way conversation by inviting the team member's perspective. Effective delivery transforms feedback from criticism to a catalyst for growth. Make sure you understand the point of view of the feedback receiver by repeating his words with your own.

Resistance is common, but it's an opportunity for growth. Acknowledge emotions and seek to understand their perspective. Emphasize the constructive nature of feedback and its alignment with their development. Make sure you state facts and no elements linked to emotions (at least not directly). Frame it as a collaborative effort, expressing your commitment to their success. By addressing resistance with empathy and patience, you turn it into a stepping stone toward positive change.

Follow-up is the linchpin of feedback effectiveness. Schedule regular check-ins to discuss progress and celebrate achievements. Reinforce positive changes and provide additional support where needed. A continuous feedback loop, powered by consistent follow-ups, ensures that constructive feedback evolves into a catalyst for ongoing improvement, maintaining motivation and momentum.

Start by building your team with individuals that are craving a mentor ans looking for feedback to help them become the best versions of themselves. I focus a significant part of my interviews looking to see if the applicant wants active feedback. Elite athletes want coaching and elite employees crave feedback and thrive off of it.