Here's how you can deliver constructive feedback effectively to a colleague.

Giving constructive feedback is tough but vital for growth. Choose a calm, distraction-free time. Avoid surprises. Start with the positives. Recognize their strengths to build a supportive atmosphere. Be specific in the actions you want to address. Explain the impact: "Your actions can make others feel undervalued." Offer suggestions: "Pause a few seconds before speaking to ensure everyone is heard." Invite input: "How do you see it?" or "What could help?" This encourages dialogue. End with support. Affirm your belief in their abilities and commitment to assist: "I believe in you and know you can do this." Thoughtful feedback fosters growth and strengthens relationships. It's about building up, not tearing down.

Concise Feedback Tips: Be Specific: Avoid generalities. Use "I" Statements: Express your perspective. Offer Solutions: Suggest improvements. Choose the Right Time: Find a private setting. Maintain a Positive Tone: Be respectful and constructive.

In any negotiation or dispute resolution, preparation is important, it is important to understand first of all for yourself what kind of feedback can you give to a team member? Do you understand his interests? Do you understand the subject of the discussion? can you move from the general to the private? If you answer these questions for yourself, then your feedback will be accepted.

When giving feedback, use CALM techniques for a more effective approach. Start by actively listening to truly understand your colleague’s perspective—paraphrase and summarize to show empathy. Communicate assertively by expressing your thoughts clearly and calmly, even if things get tense. Be aware of your own emotions to avoid projecting negativity and use emotional regulation to stay calm under stress. Choose your words carefully and be mindful of your tone to prevent escalating the situation. Finally, maintain a positive mindset by challenging biases and seeing things from others’ perspectives to foster understanding and respect.

To hold regular one-on-one meetings, you need to feel the team and understand its condition if you are a project leader. Always choose a neutral place for meetings, then the meeting will be more productive and successful, timing cannot be set for such meetings, it can take 5 minutes and the modes will stretch for several hours, everything depends on the emotional state, in the end on the level of the stress hormone. I always suggest that teams lead projects with heavy loads and, accordingly, with a high probability of stress, conduct regular check-ups of team members.

When holding such meetings, it is important to ensure confidentiality, this is necessary to establish confidential communication, and in my practice, confidential communication can only be established in person, without using modern video communication systems, however, in the future, after establishing such a trusting relationship, it is sometimes possible to hold meetings without abusing modern technologies, of course, and using video calls, but pay attention Special attention is paid to maintaining confidentiality!

As I said before, it is very difficult to show empathy through a monitor screen, it is almost impossible. You need to establish a trusting relationship in person, in a neutral place, demonstrating neutrality and independence, then you create a favorable atmosphere for receiving and transmitting feedback on the project.

Work out options for solving problems, what can be improved, which team members need to be included in the discussion, in the end you should rely on the team spirit to strive for the successful completion of the project.

By creating a continuous dialogue, involving different team members in the process, creating a neutral communication environment where everyone can speak out and everyone will be heard, conducting regular check-ups will eventually lead to a strong team spirit, which is necessary for the successful development of the team and the implementation of projects.