Giving feedback is a difficult but important task for a manager and works as a double-edged sword. Once given correctly, feedback is the best way to promote the performance and development of your employees. However, if you do not do this, feedback can be counterproductive and quickly lead to a deteriorated relationship, demotivation and loss of respect. To prevent this, below are the do's and don'ts of giving feedback, so that you can work on the development of your employees in a structured way.

Do's of giving feedback

Schedule an appointment

The first step in providing feedback is scheduling an appointment. Making quick comments in the hallways is unprofessional, let alone giving feedback in front of all team members. Schedule an appointment, prepare it in time and think about what you would like to see more or less of in the employee.

Start of the conversation

Don't get ahead of yourself during the conversation and don't start giving feedback. First break the ice by giving a compliment, for example, so that the employee feels at ease.

Keep emotions in check

It is not advisable to give someone feedback while you are still angry or frustrated about an unauthorized action. Keep your emotions in check, take the time to cool down and then schedule an appointment to provide constructive feedback.

Give space

Once you have given your feedback, positive or negative, it is essential to simply stop talking for a moment. Provide space so that the feedback can be processed by the employee, because comments about someone are important Operate can come like a bolt from a clear sky.

Follow up

Providing feedback is an ongoing process. Create (new) goals during the conversation, attach agreements to them and document them, so that you can follow any possible steps performance review can immediately follow through on the agreements made.

Don't give feedback

Make it personal

There is a big difference between giving negative feedback and a personal attack. When giving feedback, try to disconnect the person from the process. For example, if the employee constantly makes the same mistake when making reports, do not say that the employee is incapable or lazy. Instead, communicate that you believe the mistake can be avoided in the future, if the employee is willing to work on it.

Too much feedback

Even though there are several aspects that you would like to see different in the employee's performance, make sure you do not overload the employee with feedback. Focus on a few areas where the employee can improve and make these improvement points immediately measurable.

To wait

Provide feedback when the situation calls for it and do not postpone it. A common mistake is to collect feedback and only express it during the annual meeting.

Do not provide feedback

The worst don't is not giving any feedback. By not providing feedback, you do not give the employee the opportunity to improve his or her shortcomings, which is also not beneficial to the ultimate business results.