Get comfortable with giving developmental feedback

Feedback is a gift; nobody can truly develop without it. After all, we don’t have a video camera following us around (thankfully) and only have our own perspective, yet need to work with others.

Very few people enjoy giving developmental feedback. They fear the person will be hurt, won’t like them anymore or even leave their role. However, not giving developmental feedback doesn’t serve the person, your organisation or you well. It potentially leads to bigger issues and resentment, as well as stunted individual development.

The first step is to consider your own mindset and realise it is important and valuable otherwise it won’t come across well. You may also need to explain why feedback is so important if you think the person may not truly understand that.

Then there are some key principles to follow. The three I want to highlight are:

·???????? Context and timing – make sure the conditions are right and in particular avoid shoehorning the discussion into the last 5 minutes of a meeting, as this won’t give the time required in reality or, psychologically.

·???????? Clarity – make sure the feedback is very clear and illustrate with examples. If necessary, you may need to articulate the negative impact of the person’s action on others.

·???????? Give them time to react – make it clear you don’t expect an instantaneous reaction. Give them the option of reflecting on it and coming back to discuss further.

Want to read more on how to develop non-technical skills, to facilitate productive teamwork, client engagement and business development?

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