Feedback is a topic that comes up frequently in my leadership coaching. It could be a leader who is desperate for more feedback and knows that something is missing, but isn’t getting that feedback from their manager. Or sometimes it’s the challenge of actually giving feedback to a direct report around behaviours, actions, and/or skill uplift that can be hard.
Giving feedback is incredibly important, but it’s not always easy to give, especially negative feedback.
Some tips for giving constructive feedback:
- Get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable
- Put yourself in the other person’s position
- Be careful about how and when you raise the issue
- Use really relevant, recent examples
- Be open to listening and allow two-way feedback
Developing these skills can be challenging, but they’re critically important for all leaders because accountability requires you to give open, constructive, and regular feedback.
