window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-GEQWY429QJ');

 

Entity shares a guide to giving constructive criticism.

For a businesswoman, giving constructive criticism can be one of your most difficult and potentially awkward responsibilities. If you’re the boss and your employee is doing a great job, giving feedback seems fairly easy. But if the critiqued man or woman isn’t meeting your expectations, you need to think carefully about how to address the situation. What’s a compassionate yet driven woman supposed to do?

Unfortunately, there is no magic formula for a perfect feedback session. How you address an employee will depend on your relationship with the person and how comfortable you are talking to them about his or her performance. Fortunately, ENTITY has a five standard tips that can help you critique even the most difficult employee.

1 Pick it up at the Positives.

When was the last time you had a great conversation that started with something like, “You know, you haven’t been doing all that great lately …” Most likely never.

One of the first rules of providing constructive criticism is to always start by addressing the good work that your employee has done. Offering even one or two compliments – whether about the professional suits he wears each day or a recent presentation of her that you enjoyed – will go a long way. Starting with positives can gain help you gain employees’ trust and confidence and prevent them from automatically becoming defensive. Once they feel like they need to defend their abilities, any chance at a back and forth dialogue will be shot.

READ MORE: How to Be a Kick-Ass Boss to Men

After you’ve established an open dialog you can go ahead and explain how he or she can improve. You might even want to follow a “Feedback Sandwich” method. While not as tasty as it sounds, it basically involves sandwiching negative criticism between compliments. After giving your negative feedback, end the conversation by reiterating the positives you already mentioned and the positive results you know will occur if he or she acts on your suggestions.

2 Set Aside Time For Feedback.

Not setting aside a decent amount of convenient time to hold your conversation is another guaranteed way to start your feedback session off on the wrong foot. You don’t want to try to “squeeze in” a feedback session, which could make you rushed or not give you enough time to offer a detailed explanation of your critique. You don’t want to offer criticism in the heat of the moment either; take time to think about what you want to say before saying it.

Turning this conversation into a routine occurrence will also help make the whole experience less intimidating and more rewarding for employees. This way, if an employee has a concern or an issue he would like to bring to your attention, he knows he can talk to you at the next meeting. Regular meetings will also make an employee feel less targeted or singled out. Now, if you suspect that Mary is stealing customers’ information, you should talk to her ASAP. But if Luke is just turning his work report thirty minutes late, waiting until the scheduled meeting probably wouldn’t hurt.

3 Be specific.

Have you ever broken up with someone who couldn’t offer any explanation for ending the relationship besides, “It’s just not working”? Whether you’re firing an employee or pointing out areas he or she needs to improve on, specificity is your friend. For instance, if Hannah isn’t coming into work on time, don’t just tell her, “You need to spend more time in the office.” Instead, say something like: “You need to be in the office and start working at 9 a.m. sharp every morning or you’ll need to work through your lunch break.”

READ MORE: How to Impress Your Boss in One Elevator Ride

Pointing out a specific problem makes it easier for employees to take action, according to Celestine Chua, founder of the site Personal Excellence. When employees know exactly what they’re doing wrong, they have an easy solution. Basically, the more specific the criticism, the clearer the solution.

4 Don’t make it all about them.

How is it possible to find this distance? The trick is to take a trip back to high school English class and use anecdotes and outside examples, according to Entrepreneur. Instead of repeating phrases like, “You do this” or “You need to do this,” frame your criticisms with outside examples so they sound less personal and targeted.

For instance, if Ted is having a hard time giving presentations to clients, you might share you own struggles with public speaking. You can also use these anecdotes to give an inspiring twist to your criticism. Instead of making the conversation about your employee’s flaws, provide examples of people who have faced similar obstacles and succeeded. By widening your criticism’s scope, you can help prevent your employee from feeling defensive or attacked.

5 Let them speak and don’t forget to be empathetic.

At the end of the day, your employees are still people with their own thoughts and feelings. Don’t make the mistake of turning your feedback session into a one-way critique. After you’ve mentioned the behaviors that need to change, hear from the employee under review. Employees may have valid excuses that explain past behaviors or even unique suggestions for how to improve their performances. Letting employees feel heard is just as important as giving them tips on how to improve.

READ MORE: The Pressure for Millennials to Succeed

You should also remember to not take an employee’s poor performance personally, says Success. Try to understand his or her point of view and life challenges as much as you can. If it helps, think back to when you were just starting out and some the mistakes you made along your career journey. You’ve probably heard the old saying, “You catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” When it comes to offering feedback, you shouldn’t hold back on legitimate criticism. However, you can still point out areas that need to be improved on without abandoning empathy and humility.

As hard as climbing the occupational ladder may feel, offering constructive criticism once you reach the top can seem even more challenging. However, by following some of these tips and remembering the mentors who have taught you along the way, you won’t just be a fantastic boss. You’ll be one of the boss #WomenThatDo.

Edited by Adrienne Sigeti
Send this to a friend