constructive-feedback

Constructive Feedback In A Nutshell

Business / By / January 5, 2023

Constructive feedback is supportive in nature and designed to help employees improve or correct their performance or behavior. Note that the intention of such feedback is to achieve a positive outcome for the employee based on comments, advice, or suggestions.

Understanding constructive feedback

Constructive feedback is that which is dispensed to employees to help them improve their performance or behavior. 

Constructive feedback may incorporate one or both of the following two elements:

Praise

Where the leader shows appreciation for work the employee has performed.

Acknowledging an individual’s performance – particularly in front of others – is an effective way to reinforce desirable workplace behaviors. 

Criticism

For leaders, criticism must be handled with care as it has the potential to cause poor culture and low performance.

In constructive feedback, it is imperative that criticism is related to the employee’s work and not to them as individuals.

When criticism is sincere and free from emotion, it enables the employee to avoid negative behaviors and learn from their mistakes.

Constructive feedback best practices

Certain best practices maximize the chances that feedback will be constructive:

Focus on observation

Constructive feedback should always relate to observed behavior. In other words, it should never be based on assumptions or subjective interpretation.

Focus on that which can be changed

Feedback is also constructive when it is based on factors within the employee’s direct control.

Solutions that are feasible, practical, and backed with examples have the best chance of success.

Be specific

Leaders should avoid vague or generalized statements such as “You have a tendency to be aggressive in meetings” or “Your team mates have a problem with your conduct”.

Specific and observable behaviors, actions, or situations must be prefaced. 

Be wary of the feedback sandwich

The feedback sandwich occurs when a leader inserts a harsh criticism between two compliments in an attempt to lessen its impact.

Criticism delivered in this way dilutes the process and is unlikely to be received favorably. 

Examples of constructive feedback

What does constructive feedback look like in the workplace? Let’s take a look below.

Example 1 – Mary is constantly late for work

Possible feedback from her manager:

“When you are late to work every day, I feel frustrated and it does not set a good example for the rest of the team. Please remember that office hours are 8.30am to 5.00pm. Is there any valid reason for your tardiness? If not, I’d really love for you to arrive each day at 8.30am.”

Example 2 – Tom communicates well with others during a complex project

Possible feedback from his manager:

“Tom, I very much appreciate you keeping me informed on the progress of this important project. The consistent and clear communication you have demonstrated has enabled me to keep my own boss up-to-speed with the latest developments. I am pleasantly surprised by your contribution to this project and look forward to seeing you work on similar projects in future.”

Example 3 – Sophie tends to become dominant in group situations

Possible feedback from her manager:

“Sophie, there is no doubt that your passion and enthusiasm is an asset to this company and vital to helping us achieve organizational goals. Having said that, I have noticed that when I’ve chaired the meeting, you interrupt others or talk over the top of them. For future reference, it would be great if you could allow others the space to share their thoughts. While some of your colleagues may be less forthcoming with their opinions, we see a diversity of opinion as vital to our success.”

Key takeaways

  • Constructive feedback is that which is dispensed to employees to help them improve their performance or behavior. 
  • Constructive feedback may incorporate praise, criticism, or a mixture of both. Criticism must be delivered in such a way that it is not counterintuitive. 
  • Certain best practices maximize the chances that feedback will be constructive, such as a focus on observable behavior and those factors in direct control of the employee. It’s also important to avoid vague statements and the dreaded feedback sandwich.

Additional Related Concepts

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Adaptive Leadership

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High-performance management involves the implementation of HR practices that are internally consistent and aligned with organizational strategy. Importantly, high-performance management is a continual process where several different but integrated activities create a performance management cycle. It is not a process that should be performed once a year and then hidden in a filing cabinet.

Scientific Management

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Scientific Management Theory was created by Frederick Winslow Taylor in 1911 as a means of encouraging industrial companies to switch to mass production. With a background in mechanical engineering, he applied engineering principles to workplace productivity on the factory floor. Scientific Management Theory seeks to find the most efficient way of performing a job in the workplace.

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Agile Project Management

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Agile Project Management (AgilePM) seeks to bring order to chaotic corporate environments using several tools, techniques, and elements of the project lifecycle. Fundamentally, agile project management aims to deliver maximum value according to specific business priorities in the time and budget allocated. AgilePM is particularly useful in situations where the drive to deliver is greater than the perceived risk.

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About The Author

Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
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