Five Ways To ... Hand out Constructive Criticism

Five Ways To ... Hand out Constructive Criticism

When it comes to appraisals or having that frank talk about employee performance, bosses are in for a tough time. Often, a critical approach does not go down well with employees, leading to low morale and in some instances, a spate of resignations. Moresha

Benjamin lists some pointers on constructive criticism and helping employees give more of themselves at work.

Do Your Homework

Go through the employee’s work chart from day one. Jot down the positive and negative points, and highlight the issues you want

to discuss. This will not only put you in a better position to discuss your views across the table for the employee to consider but

will also make sure the employee understands and takes what you are saying seriously.

Give Instant Feedback

“Don’t wait for an appraisal or a board meeting to tell the employee where he or she is faltering,” says Elango R, chief human

resources officer, MphasiS. Giving instant feedback not only helps in getting the task done but also eases overall work flow, adds

Elango. For instance, after a presentation, which you as a boss thought was not up to the mark, you discuss it with the employee

immediately. Point out the positives of the presentation but don’t mince words when pointing out the negatives and always end it

with: “I know you can do much better,” says Elango.

Offer Solutions

“Often people keep ranting about what they don’t like. You need to clearly state what you “do” like,” says Priya Kumar, motivational

speaker and corporate trainer. Instead of saying, “The presentation is pathetic,” it would be nice to say, “Put more visuals, make

the presentation more precise.” That way, the person knows what to do after the feedback. Often when people's work is criticised,

they are not only upset but also feel lost in terms of what to do to improve their work. The lack of direction maintains mediocrity.

Be Neutral

The tone in which the ‘constructive feedback’ is given must be neutral. State clearly ‘what’ the problem is. Just saying, “I don’t like

this design,” won’t do you or the person any good. But something like, “The colour purple seems out of context. The punchline has

no punch. The message is misleading,” is concrete data, and can lead to change. Often, people %proffer their opinions, rather than

giving constructive feedback. And opinions are a personal issue; they usually don’t lead to professional change.

Make Sure To Follow Up

“Many bosses forget the golden rule of following up with the employee’s progress post-feedback,” says Asit Mohapatra, director,

human resources — textiles, Raymonds. It’s imperative to gauge employee progress and help out in case they face roadblocks

post the discussion, adds Mohapatra. If you ignore following up with your workers, you may be more disappointed, which in turn

creates a vicious cycle of negative feedback. And there, you have only yourself to blame.