How to be a Karen, without being a Karen

HOW TO GIVE NEGATIVE FEEDBACK – THE RIGHT WAY

Praising good performance is a piece of cake, but what about those that need to hear about how they can improve? Most people associate difficult conversations with conflict, therefore avoiding these discussions out of fear, but what people don’t understand is that the main issue is the way in which negative feedback is delivered. If you provide the feedback in a constructive manner you will be able to improve employee performance, productivity and motivation, your staff will also become more receptive to the feedback they receive. The overall goal when giving feedback is to improve the behaviour of an individual, in hopes of bringing the best value to your organisation. In this article, we are going to be covering several pointers to guide you in successfully delivering negative feedback to employees.

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME:

 Before you can effectively deliver this feedback to someone else, you must ensure your emotions are under control, it can be extremely difficult to pass on this information when upset or angry. It’s important to ensure the person receiving this feedback is also in a calm state. You should also never give negative feedback in front of other employees, this can be extremely embarrassing, so take them into a private space and ensure the discussion remains confidential, this will encourage them to open up a little more and maybe respond to the feedback.

ALWAYS GIVE FEEDBACK IN PERSON:

 Managers that choose to avoid confrontation are always inclined to give feedback over email or perhaps even via text message. Never do this, you must ensure you’re conveying this message in the right tone otherwise you may end up miscommunicating with them. The delivery of this feedback is crucial; you’ll be able to deliver your message more effectively by using the correct form of communication.

 DON’T PROCRASTINATE:

 Avoidance is never the answer in these situations, forget the notion that criticism must be awkward and see it for the positive outcomes that will develop afterwards. Timing is important when it comes to administering negative feedback, you should offer the feedback as soon as you observe behaviour that you’d like to change. Change is achieved easier when negative feedback is given in smaller doses, never let this feedback pile up in your mind as this can overwhelm employees. Feedback is most effective when given in real time, or immediately after.

BE SPECIFIC:

 Make sure your feedback is focused on the specific behaviours you want the employee to work on, not on the person. Most employees just want honesty, by giving them feedback directed toward the specific behaviour will make it easier for them to understand and really take in what you’re saying. Skip the superficial comments, known as the “compliment sandwich”

DON’T RANT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

 Making generic complaints about an industry on an individual’s social media post only hurts your reputation and could hinder your chancing of securing a position in the future. Revert to point two give your feedback in person, or at least over the phone.