Feedback is useful when the person hears what happened, why it mattered and what to do next, and can act on it. Most managers know they should give feedback. What gets in the way is not intention but method: feedback arrives late, is vague, mixes several issues, or lands as a verdict on the person.
Describe the work, not the person
'You're careless' is a judgement. 'The last two reports went out with the wrong month's figures' is something that happened. The first invites defence. The second can be discussed. Describe the specific piece of work or behaviour, and be ready to give an example.
A simple method
- 1
Situation
Name the occasion: 'In Tuesday's review meeting…' or 'In the March handover note…'. This anchors the conversation in something both remember.
- 2
Behaviour
Say what you saw or read, without interpretation: 'The figures were from February.'
- 3
Effect
Explain why it mattered: 'The finance team approved the payment on the wrong numbers.'
- 4
Ask
Invite their view: 'What happened from your side?' Facts you did not have can change the conversation.
- 5
Next step
Agree what will be different, by when, and how you will both know. Then follow up.
Time and place
Give feedback soon enough that the person remembers the event, and privately when it concerns something that could embarrass them. Praise can often be given in front of others, if the person is comfortable with that. If you are angry, wait until you can speak plainly. Feedback given in heat is rarely remembered for its content.
Say what is working too
People learn what to repeat from feedback as much as what to stop. If you only speak up when something goes wrong, employees learn to dread the conversation. Be as specific about what went well as about what needs to change: 'The way you summarised the client's concern in the first paragraph saved the team time' is more useful than 'good job'.
Listen, then agree one thing
Feedback is a two-way conversation. The employee may know about a constraint, a conflicting instruction or a missing tool. Listen before you conclude. Then agree a single next step rather than a list. One change that is followed through teaches more than five that are forgotten.
Common mistakes
- Saving everything for the annual review.
- Wrapping criticism in praise until the message is lost.
- Using words like 'always' and 'never'.
- Giving feedback through a third person or a group message.
- Not following up after agreeing a next step.
For feedback in writing, see emails that actually get acted on. For the situation where a manager is right on the facts but loses the room, see the manager who was right and lost the room.
Where feedback concerns conduct or could lead to a formal process, follow the company's grievance or disciplinary procedure rather than handling it informally.
