What makes corrective feedback helpful vs. awful?

If you are told that something you are doing isn’t right at work, your probably feeling pretty bad about it. But does it really have to be so bad?

When managers use a better approach, it can feel pretty helpful to know how to meet your boss’s expectations. Especially if the boss:

1. Shows genuine concern for you

2. Tells you about it early on

3. Explains exactly how to turn it around &

4. Recognizes your strengths as well

When you compare getting the feedback to NOT getting the feedback, which is a better choice? Very few people really don’t want the feedback…

So if you’re the manager in this situation, what’s better for your employee?

Believe it or not, if you give feedback, early and often, you become MORE trusted as a manager. The managers who are feared are the ones who surprise people with negative judgements after it’s too late to improve the way they’re doing things.

Another thing that builds trust is for the manager to authentically recognize a person’s strengths. If the strengths being mentioned ring true, that person is much more likely to “hear” the suggestions about what needs improvement.

Doesn’t sound so awful now, does it?…