Giving Feedback

• Start by expressing appreciation for the person.
  • Begin with strengths and positive feedback.
• State the value of honesty and the benefit of feedback for the person.
  • “I have some things to tell you that you may not want to hear, but this is why you need to hear them.
  •  Link the feedback to what motivates the person, such as excellent performance.
• Describe the behavior as if playing a video, without judging, analyzing or evaluating.
  • Give clear examples and specific, observable behaviors.
  • Limit yourself to two topics.
  • Share information about behaviors, not the person.
  • Don’t give advice. 
• Paint a clear picture of how the behavior hurts the person.  Talk about how serious the potential consequences are if the behavior continues, including the evaluation of his/her performance, his/her future prospects, the impact on the organization, etc.
   
• State your feedback in a way that will be as easy to hear as possible.
  • Be sensitive and respectful.
  • Use I statements.
• Check that your intent is to help the other person, not to serve your own goals or to hurt or punish.
   

Receiving Feedback

• Ask for feedback in private.
• Make an effort to listen to the feedback with an open mind, to hear the message rather than react defensively.
• See feedback as an opportunity for learning, changing and growing.
• Remember that feedback represents the perception of the giver.
• Ask questions.
• Ask for time to think.

Adapted from The Courageous Follower by Ira Chaleff and “Managerial feedback for attitude, behavior problems,” http://milwaukee.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/stories/2003/05/05/smallb3.html