What are the most common mistakes when giving feedback?

Lots of great 'do's and don'ts' here. But no need for you to feel overwhelmed. Just use these 5 questions: 1. How about we sit down together and go through [X], both what's working well for you and where the challenges are? 2. What specific examples are there that can illustrate this ? 3. What do you think is behind this, any insights? 4. What action would be helpful going forward? 5. When would be a good time to follow up together? You'll notice this isn't 'giving' feedback but facilitating it. Better for your team, better for you. If you'd like to know more, these questions are based on the CEDAR Feedback Model.

Giving feedback is almost an art form. It's important to be very plain spoken and transparent about the specifics of what you're giving feedback for. However, it's important to remember that it's focusing on what happened, but not what someone 'should' have done or asking 'why' they did it. Instead, it's a way of saying when this happened this was the result and that is in both both good and bad. We all like it when we get specifics. A good rule of thumb is if the person asks you for more specifics and you feel you're holding back then you probably didn't offer enough details or facts.

One of the most common mistakes when giving feedback is being vague or general, such as saying "good job" or "you need to work harder". This kind of feedback does not tell the employee what they did well, what they need to improve, or how to do it. Fears of confrontation are directly related to a fear of not being liked. Let's face it: no one actually wants feedback. This is why many managers will avoid feedback at all costs. . Feedback promotes professional growth and skills mastery among your workforce. It can also inspire confidence and instill a greater sense of job satisfaction in the workplace.

The right time is always going to be now or just shortly thereafter. Waiting until the next 1:1 or even worse quarterly or annual reviews takes away the ability for a person receiving feedback to feel they can make real change. People desire to do the right things, the sooner we can be specific in our feedback the more quickly we can make effective changes and even more importantly not have to try to remember the specifics of the action which sometimes get clouded over time.

While there may not be a magic formula there is always the right thing. When people do well we should tell what they did and how it made people feel. When people miss expectations we have to let them know they missed expectations. It's important about the focus being on what's next, especially when expectations are missed. Let's work through the recovery so that we learn and move on. And when something is positive, let's learn about how to replicate that or apply it in other areas to keep the momentum moving in the right direction.

Actions coming from feedback, specifically developmental feedback are where the magic really happens. It's important that the person to whom you are offering the feedback is an active participant in crafting these actions. Ideally, they are the ones who have the ideas or solutions and you're simply helping to create the framework for implementing the actions. Rather than a 'you should do this' look to 'how do you think we can do that differently?' and then shape the actions around their ideas or a combination of ideas. This gives the person receiving the feedback the feeling they are a part of the solution, not just 'following orders'.

Respect is the key to relationship building. Frame feedback in the way that it is meant to help the person receiving it grow. And just as importantly, make sure it isn't a one-way street. As you deliver be sure to ask for feedback and be sure to check-in with the person receiving the feedback. While you can't change how they feel, checking in on how they feel will help you to support them better. Ultimately, feedback that is delivered with respect and will follow-up will be received better than just 'dropping the bomb'.

"Giving Effective Feedback: Avoid Common Mistakes" Providing feedback is crucial but prone to mistakes. Avoid pitfalls: Be specific, balance negatives with positives, maintain respect, offer timely feedback, focus on actions not the person, listen, stay consistent, ask for perspectives, avoid comparisons, set clear expectations, recognize positives, don't overwhelm, follow up, consider cultural differences, propose solutions, be flexible, document when necessary, give thoughtful feedback, offer growth opportunities, and acknowledge effort. Effective feedback fosters growth and productivity.

One thing is that proper information is very important before giving any response. And don't give generic feedback, like "good job" etc. Be Specific..