What do you do if you need to give feedback to a senior colleague?

To give feedback to a senior colleague, it's crucial to approach the conversation with specificity, empathy, and a focus on constructive criticism. Begin by highlighting the positives and then provide specific examples of areas for improvement, ensuring your feedback is balanced and supportive. Remember, the goal is to foster growth and improvement, not to criticize or belittle.

Erg?nzend zur inhaltlichen Vorbereitung und zur Kl?rung deines Ziels, gehe bewusst mit deiner Nervosit?t um. Alles was du unterdrückst, wird trotzdem seinen Weg an die Oberfl?che finden. Du kannst: 1. Entspannungsübungen machen vor dem Gespr?ch, um dein Nervensystem zu beruhigen. (Atem oder Visualisierung des sicheren inneren Ortes) 2. Transparent ansprechen, wie es dir geht. "Ich bin nerv?s mit dem ?lteren Kollegen zu sprechen". Was macht dich nerv?s? Wovor hast du Angst? Ist dein worst-case Szenario realistisch und wahr? Gib deinem Gefühl bewusst Raum. 3. Stelle dir vor, wie der ideale Ablauf des Gespr?chs w?re. Alle Beteiligten sind entspannt und respektvoll. Gehe mit dieser Intention in das Gespr?ch.

El enfoque, mientras muestres interés en el mensaje que transmitió el emisor, estás más presto a realizar un feedback acertivo, la atención nos permite explorar dentro del bagaje de experiencias opciones que podrías tomar para dar soporte, o sustentar un punto de vista diferente de manera adecuada de tal forma que sea pertinente y contribuya al desarrollo del asunto en cuestión.

I agree that preparing for providing feedback for your senior is the most important thing as you would need to enlist the facts for the feedback and also have in your notes exact dates and instances for which you are to provide the feedback to your seniors. Also always try to phrase your feedback in a constructive way even if you have to be critical, suggesting an alternative behaviour is the best approach.

It can be difficult to provide a senior colleague with feedback, but doing so is crucial for both team chemistry and professional development.You can support your senior colleague's professional development by approaching the discussion with empathy, respect, and a focus on positive solutions.

We should always ensure that giving critical feedback to a senior should be in private and appropriate time when there are no high stakes conversations or projects ongoing.

Being put in the situation of having to give feedback to a senior colleague can be very stressful as well. We are emphasising here about being respectful. But it is also very important to ensure that you will be respected as well. It is unfortunate, but many employees wouldn't like to receive feedback from someone who is less senior than them. There is no one size fits all strategy, but being assertive and constructive while acknowledging the whole situation is very important. Avoid sounding condescending, insecure or timid.

Para dar una retroalimentación o feedbcak elegir el momento adecuado y hacerlo en un lugar adecuado fuera de ruidos. Utilizar la escucha y la empatía y el diálogo abierto. Proporcionar una devolución sobre los temas específicos que se quieren retroalimentar y darle la posibilidad al retroalimentado que exprese su opinión. No establecer un ganar ganar en la conversación sino estar abierto a dar recomendaciones o sugerencias específicas. Tratar de ser objetivos y dar feedback sobre el tema y no sobre la persona en cuestion. Apartarse de las subjetividades y focalizarse en dar recomendaciones específicas para una mejora continua del colaborador o del equipo.

Formulate feedback in a way that helps solve an agreed upon problem. When you’re both working toward the same overall goal, feedback is helpful and will seem less accusatory.

Try thinking from the senior’s shoes. Ask yourself, why does this feedback matter to them? In what ways does it have an impact if the situation is changed or not changed? Is the situation affecting the customers? the team? to you and/or your delivery of the assigned task? How is it going to relate and affect the senior’s goals and/or company goals if the situation is not fixed? Focus the intention to make positive contributions will create a good impression whether your feedback is taken or not.

This links to the idea that feedback has to relate to previously asserted goals. That means that you need measurable and well-defined rubrics to be able to address problem areas. Avoid vague vocabulary like "I feel that...", or "You always/never do X". But even before presenting the facts/numbers, you can invite the employee to offer their view on how they perceive their performance. For example, if you need to address repeated tardiness, ask them first how they feel about their punctuality, and if there is anything they would like to address first. You may discover that they were aware of an issue but didn't know how to address it with management, or didn't think it was a problem at all.

It is always best to open the dialogue and let your colleague also present his viewpoint and then do a healthy brainstorming or debate.

I first ensure my ducks are in a row—or at least make sure they're all facing the same direction. I set a positive tone and choose a private setting to avoid any public embarrassment. I frame my feedback using the sandwich method: a positive comment, followed by the constructive feedback, and then another positive note. It's like hiding their medicine in a spoonful of sugar. I make sure to be specific, focusing on actions rather than personal attributes. I suggest practical solutions or next steps, turning the feedback into a collaborative problem-solving session rather than a one-sided critique. It's like telling Superman he's wearing his underwear inside out—delicate and with a smile.