The following is not an exhaustive list but if you adhere to these principles you will deliver feedback more effectively, in a manner which the recipient is happy to hear. The end result will be improved results, improved performance, happier relationships and reduced stress.
1. Stay focused
Every time you deliver feedback, you should have a clear purpose and a precise message that you want to get across. To make sure that this feedback gets delivered effectively, you need to say focused on your message. Before beginning the conversation, remove any potential distractions. During the conversation, if you find yourself getting distracted, make any necessary adjustments to bring your focus back to the conversation at hand.
2. Beware of your body language and characteristics
When you deliver feedback, it is imperative that you send a clear message that you are open to discussion and willing to listen. There will be periods, during the feedback, where you are the listener. It is easy to become frustrated, angry, bored etc. but if you find yourself feeling this way; you can be sure that you are going to transmit that to the other person. If this occurs, they will close the conversation down and it will become impossible to get your message across.
3. Avoid the barriers to communication
There are common behaviours which act as barriers to communication. When you adopt these behaviours, you demonstrate that you do not value the other person’s opinion. You come across as authoritarian and what started out as feedback soon becomes dictates and commands. While this may reap some short term rewards, in the long term, your relationships deteriorate and people no longer wish to work with you.
4. Approach with an open mind
When you deliver feedback, you should definitely approach with a clear objective in mind; a clear message that you want to transmit. While you stay focused on that message, it is best that you maintain an open mind as to how best that objective can be achieved. Too often, managers and people in senior positions dictate to others. They tell them exactly what to do in order to achieve the desired outcome. I would take issue with this. In fact, there are 2 important questions to ask here:
•What if the manager does not know best?
•How is the employee supposed to learn from being dictated too?
I recommend an alternative approach. Before dictating to the employee, ask them for their ideas on how to achieve the objective. When you adopt this approach the employee feels more engaged, they learn better from having to think for themselves and in many cases, they can produce a better idea than the manager. Management is not about dictating to people; it is about bringing the best out of people. Of coruse, this principle can be applied to any relationship, not just management-employee relathionships.
When you approach feedback with an open-mind, patience and flexibility; you deliver feedback more effectively and you foster better, more productive relationships.
5. Mix it up
Another fault which many managers make with feedback is that they only attempt to deliver constructive feedback. Their employees only hear from them when something goes wrong. This creates great negativity in the relationships and, if it happens too frequently, it closes down the channels of communication.
There is another type of feedback – positive feedback. Every time that you catch somebody doing something right, you should acknowledge it. When you deliver both constructive and positive feedback, the recipient sees the bigger picture. They know what they are doing right and they attempt to replicate that behaviour. When correction is required, they understand that it is not personal and they are more open and receptive to it.
6. Be open to learning
When something does not go to plan, it is rare that one person is 100% responsible. The likelihood is that there will have been something that you could have done differently too. Never approach these situations assuming that you have all of the answers. To deliver feedback effectively, you must be willing to receive feedback too. When you are receptive like this, everybody begins to see feedback as an opportunity for mutual learning and improvement, rather than something to be feared.
Feedback is just one of the key communication skills which will help you to achieve more while improving your productivity and reducing your stress. Learn more with How To Talk So Others Will Listen.
Throughout your life, there will be many occasions where you are required to deliver feedback. This will usually be because you want to achieve a better outcome. When these occasions arise, the quality of the outcome that you achieve will be determined by the quality of the feedback that you deliver. When you are required to deliver feedback, try to view the situation as an opportunity for mutual learning and growth. When you do this, you achieve better outcomes and reap better rewards. The ability to deliver feedback effectively is an essential skill both in life and work. Try implementing the 6 strategies, above, and you will take giant strides in developing this critical skill.
NOTE CREDIT: http://www.coachingpositiveperformance.com/deliver-feedback-without-arguments