Get The Most From Your Subordinates With These 11 Do’s And Don’ts Of Providing Effective Feedback

Guest blog by: Jillian Petrova
Employees require effective feedback in order to deliver their best at work, and it is up to their managers to provide them a productive feedback.
But what exactly is “effective” feedback and how can a manager be effective in his or her feedback? Read on to know more about how you as a manager can provide your employees with feedback that will help them deliver their utmost at the workplace.

• Don’t: Exaggerate
  Avoid the use of the words “always” and “never” as these will only antagonize your subordinates and not make them receptive to what you have to say to them.

• Do: Be Timely
  The best feedback is a feedback that is delivered quickly. If you take your sweet time about delivering the feedback, your subordinate may not recall the exact details of the event that took place, rendering the feedback irrelevant.

• Don’t: Resort To Personal Attacks
  Point out what the employee could have done better, but refrain from attacking the employee personally. Instead of telling your employee he or she is “foolish”, limit yourself to the mistake he or she made, as a personal attack does not provide actionable items for correction.

• Do: Be Specific
  Give precise details of what went right and what went wrong so that your subordinate knows what exactly is expected of him or her the next time around. Let them clearly know what they need to avoid and why while performing certain tasks.

• Don’t: Save Your Feedback Until The Annual Appraisal
  Keep giving feedback throughout the evaluation period to nip undesirable behaviors in the bud before they escalate into major performance issues by the time of the appraisal.

• Do: Be Sensitive
  Always keep the emotional needs of your employee into account.  Avoid negative feedback when the employee seems to be going through a rough personal patch. Treat all your employees as human beings, and give them the space and kind words they need at their time of distress.

• Don’t: Criticize Things Which Are Beyond Your Employee’s Control
  There is no point criticizing an employee for his stuttering habit because he has no control over it. Don’t assign him things that he isn’t skilled enough to do, and then expect a good result out of it. For instance, if the employee is specialized in blog writing, you can’t expect him to do an academic coursework that expert coursework writers – Coursework Spot for instance – are expected to do. Regardless, not only it is rude to make fun of or target such a problem but it would also negatively affect your impression at the workplace.

• Do: Keep It Interactive
  Request your employee to provide his or her own opinions and ask questions along the way. It would keep him interested and in the loop at all times.

• Don’t: Threaten Your Employee
  A cornered employee will react and it will not be pleasant at any given time. Remember, it is always give and take when it comes to professional respect and trust. Maintain your employee’s respect and dignity at all times so that you get the same in return.

• Do: Point Out What You Want To Be Changed
  Instead of criticizing and pointing out mistakes, point out what your employee can do better and what he or she needs to do instead.

• Don’t: Assume Your Subordinate Is Wrong
  Yes, you may have gathered all the data that you possibly could before giving feedback but this does not mean that you are right and your employee is wrong. There are always two sides to the story, and perhaps he or she may have a good justification for doing what they did. Be open to all kinds of possibilities and listen to them before jumping to any conclusion.

Remember, the best feedback is the one that brings about a positive change and results in the desired outcome. These tips may help you get the outcomes that you want with as little conflict as possible.

Jillian Petrova is an academician at day and a blogger at night. She is also team lead at coursework spot, an education website. When not working, she likes to write blogs on student’s lifestyle, career selection, etc.