Good Feedback is Specific
Most of the feedback people receive in the workplace isn’t feedback at all. It’s what I fondly refer to as Cap’n Crunch – vague and unhelpful words that make people defensive but don’t change...
View ArticlePerformance Appraisals – Give Small Amounts of Balanced Feedback
If I hear this one more time I might lose it. Manager: “One of my employees has been making a lot of mistakes. He seems disengaged. I’m not sure what’s happening.” Me: “Have you talked to him?”...
View ArticleThe Feedback Formula – Give Feedback in Two Minutes or Less
The Feedback Formula: 1. Introduce the conversation so feedback recipients know what to expect. 2. Empathize so both the feedback provider and the recipient feel as comfortable as possible. 3. Describe...
View ArticleGive Employee Feedback Better and Be Heard
The normal, natural reaction to negative feedback is to become defensive, a response I’ve recently labeled as The Freak Out. Everyone, even the people you think do little work, wants to be seen as good...
View ArticleHonesty in the Workplace – Man/Woman Up
People are too afraid to tell the truth at work. We’re afraid that if we give honest performance feedback, people will get upset. They will. We’re afraid that if we say what we think, we’ll get...
View Article360 Degree Feedback – Get A Second Opinion
People get defensive when they receive negative feedback. It’s hard not to. Everyone wants to be seen as competent, and when we receive negative feedback, our competence is called into question. So we...
View ArticlePerformance Management – Shorter is Better
No one (I know) enjoys writing, delivering or receiving performance feedback. It’s time consuming to write, challenging to deliver, and can be difficult to hear. Unfortunately, most performance...
View ArticleInformal 360 Degree Feedback Reduces Defensiveness
People get defensive when they receive negative feedback. It’s hard not to. Everyone wants to be seen as competent, and when we receive negative feedback, our competence is called into question, so we...
View ArticleGiving Feedback – Be Specific
Want to know why people get defensive when you give feedback and why they often don’t change their behavior? Because what you’re giving them isn’t actually feedback. “You’re awesome to work with”...
View ArticleGiving Feedback – The Right Time is Now
Most of us wait to give negative feedback until it’s the right time, aka the recipient won’t get upset. Or we wait, hoping the situation will resolve itself. If something is really an issue, the...
View ArticleHonesty in the Workplace – Man/Woman Up
People are too afraid to tell the truth at work. We’re afraid that if we give honest performance feedback, people will get upset. They will. We’re afraid that if we say what we think, we’ll get...
View ArticleReceiving Feedback – Get A Second Opinion
At some point in your career, you will likely get feedback that doesn’t feel accurate. When receiving feedback you question, rather than dismiss it, vet the feedback with the people who know you best....
View ArticlePerformance Management – Shorter is Better
No one (I know) enjoys writing, delivering or receiving performance feedback. It’s time consuming to write, challenging to deliver, and can be difficult to hear. Unfortunately, most performance...
View Article360 Degree Feedback – Get A Second Opinion
People get defensive when they receive negative feedback. It’s hard not to. Everyone wants to be seen as competent, and when we receive negative feedback, our competence is called into question. So we...
View ArticleGive Employee Feedback Better and Be Heard
The normal, natural reaction to negative feedback is to become defensive, a response I’ve labeled as The Freak Out. Everyone, even the people you think do little work, wants to be seen as good –...
View ArticleThe Feedback Formula – Give Feedback in Two Minutes or Less
The Feedback Formula: 1. Introduce the conversation so feedback recipients know what to expect. 2. Share your motive for speaking so both the feedback provider and the recipient feel as comfortable as...
View ArticlePerformance Management – Shorter is Better
No one (I know) enjoys writing, delivering or receiving performance feedback. It’s time consuming to write, challenging to deliver, and can be difficult to hear. Unfortunately, most performance...
View ArticleInformal 360 Degree Feedback Reduces Defensiveness
People get defensive when they receive negative feedback. It’s hard not to. Everyone wants to be seen as competent, and when we receive negative feedback, our competence is called into question, so we...
View ArticleGiving Feedback – Be Specific
Want to know why people get defensive when you give feedback and why they often don’t change their behavior? Because what you’re giving them isn’t actually feedback. “You’re awesome to work with”...
View ArticleGiving Feedback – The Right Time is Now
Most of us wait to give negative feedback until it’s the right time, aka the recipient won’t get upset. Or we wait, hoping the situation will resolve itself. If something is really an issue, the...
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