Page 46 - Sponsor Booklet

Guides for Giving Negative Feedback

1. Begin by establishing the purpose of the feedback and the nature of
your own role.
2. Try to preface negative feedback with something positive.
Each of us needs encouragement, to be told when we are doing
something well. In our eagerness to give the negative message we can
sometimes overlook a person’s positive qualities. If the positive is
registered first, any negative is more likely to be listened to, and acted
upon.
3. Be as specific as possible. Avoid general comments: “that was terrible”
or “you were rubbish”. Instead, pinpoint some behaviour which can
immediately suggest avenues for change: “In chairing meetings you
often fail to notice when others wish to talk because you aren’t looking
at them. You are concentrating only on what you have to say.”
“Are you aware that whenever..........”

4. Always check out to see that they have heard you correctly. Ask them
to repeat/summarize what you have said.
5. Ask them whether they agree or not. The feedback is far more likely to
be “heard” if the recipient is given the opportunity to express any
disagreement.
6. Ask them if they have ever heard anything similar about themselves
before. If they have, this will provide added evidence for them. If they
have not, they might find it more difficult to accept and maybe your
perception could be in the minority. In the latter case this would not
mean that there was no problem but it may mean that it rests between
the two of you. If time permits, further exploration of your perceptions
will reinforce the genuineness of the exchange.
7. Ask them if they can think of anything they can do to improve and if so
ask them if they can specify what they are going to do differently, from
when, and how they will find out if it has been effective. This is to help
them set themselves a measurable target towards which they can work.

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