How to give constructive feedback

Giving feedback is using communication methods to broadcast and receive information about the adequacy or inadequacy of our work.

Among other things, the labor feedback allows: to fix performance bugs, reduce the doubt about the adequacy of the work or know how others sees and assess us.

Besides, some of the advantages obtained by giving feedback in the workplace are: avoiding conflicts between the team members, having greater satisfaction in the workplace, promoting teamwork, being more successful or having feelings of self-competence.

Feedback must be constructive, that is, it must aim to obtain performance changes and / or positive behavioral aimed at professional or personal growth.

The technique and strategy is important; not having properly prepared a feedback session that leads us to make mistakes, not having clear the goals of it, as well as negative feedback, it can have as result contrary effects and a negative impact on the self-esteem.

I will detail below the steps to follow up to get proper and constructive feedback:

1. CHOOSE WELL THE TIME AND PLACE BEFORE GIVING THE FEEDBACK.

• Positive feedback: better to do it in public, so that the person has even more social recognition for the adequacy of their work.
• In the case of communicating negative aspects, choose a private place so that they do not feel like they are being embarrassed in front of their colleagues.

2. DO NOT WAIT TOO MUCH TO GIVE YOUR POINT OF VIEW.

• The person will not remember very well what it is about or may not contextualize what happened.
• Complaints may gather towards a person and we may one day be overwhelmed and tell them everything that bothers us with an aggressive attitude.

3. ASK FOR PERMISSION BEFORE GIVING FEEDBACK.

• “Can I make a remark?” it will soften and turn the feedback into a conversation, not a one-sided attack.

4. SHOWING AN EMPATHIC ATTITUDE.

• Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and think about how we would like them to give us information about our work and performance.

5. LISTEN TO THE OTHER AND BE FLEXIBLE.

• Active listening and not just talking.
• Give the other the opportunity to tell us about the difficulties they had regarding that task.
• Asking the other person’s point of view will prevent them from feeling accused.
• Pay attention to the reasons that led you to act this way.
• Have the ability to rectify if we have made a mistake.

6. EXPRESS YOUR FEELINGS.

• Explaining how that behavior made us feel will make it much more human and closer and will generate an emotional impact.

7. DO NOT USE GENERAL AND UNSPECIFIC COMMENTS.

• It is important to be specific with the remarks, rather than giving vague and general arguments. It is not the same to say: “good job” as “your last report picks up very precise information on the company´s progress”.
• The more specific and concrete the information provided is, the better results will have on the performance of the other person.

8. USE THE “SANDWICH TECHNIQUE”.

• A positive criticism, on the aspects that are being carried out properly or on the effort that is put into to achieve the goal.
• A constructive criticism, of what should be improved in order to do a better job.
• A positive criticism, about its general adequacy.

9. FOCUS ON THE FACT, NOT ON THE PERSON.

• People with low self-esteem tend to perceive negative feedback as one more flag of the little value they attribute to themselves.
• Choose well the words to use, to not criticize the person but the behavior that has been carried out at a certain moment.
• Focus on concrete behaviors, to not generalize the behavior.

10. GIVE OPTIONS ON HOW TO PERFORM BETTER THE TASK.

• When the feedback is negative, it is necessary to add comments aimed to improve the work; It will help the other person to know how they should do their work in a productive way.

11. EXPLAIN THE CONSEQUENCES.

• It is important to clarify what the consequences of the error are, and why it cannot be repeated in the future.

12. ASK WHAT WILL THEY DO IN ORDER TO NOT REPEATE

             IT IN THE FUTUREUN FUTURO.

• Try to find a solution to the problem itself that ensures you it will never happen in the future.

13. LOOK FOR THE COMMITMENT

• Not only knowing what you will do in the future, but also knowing how to achieve it, we must get you to commit to change your behavior.

Also, I recommend working with a checklist to ensure that you have covered up all the steps.

Isidro Muñoz Aibar

Graduate in Psychology of Work and Organizations.

Institute of Business and Technological Innovation.