{"id":6806,"date":"2018-03-07T03:13:00","date_gmt":"2018-03-07T03:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/arliemediadesign.com\/?p=6806"},"modified":"2025-03-10T12:29:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T12:29:18","slug":"6-tips-for-giving-and-receiving-constructive-feedback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.happy.co.uk\/blogs\/6-tips-for-giving-and-receiving-constructive-feedback\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Tips for Giving & Receiving Constructive Feedback"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

And yet, it scares people half to death just contemplating it \u2013 nobody likes to be told they\u2019re wrong, and similarly, people don\u2019t like being the bearer\u2019s of bad news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a big difference between constructive and destructive feedback, however, which we\u2019re going to look at in this blog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are our six tips for giving (and receiving) constructive feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Criticism helps us understand others<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If a co-worker, manager, customer or amateur fashion critic offers you some feedback, this will allow you to get a better picture of the things they value and the standards they\u2019d like to see upheld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if their feedback seems misguided or is delivered with an unnecessary sting, that doesn\u2019t mean it should be disregarded. Nor does it mean we should respond defensively. By remaining patient and considering the crux of someone\u2019s review, you can get a better understanding of how they think and improve communication going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Negative feedback doesn\u2019t need to be buffered by superfluous compliments
If you\u2019re relating negative feedback to someone, then you\u2019d better include plenty of niceties along the way, right? Well, not exactly. Protecting people\u2019s self-esteem is a fair aim, but more often than not cushioning negative feedback with compliments isn\u2019t constructive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given the flimsiness of this approach, the attempted positivity will often be transparent, causing the whole thing to smack of insincerity. Or else the person will choose only to hear the nice bits and digest none of the essential criticisms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Give direct feedback and focus on the outcomes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m not saying it\u2019s better to bellow angry feedback at someone before demanding their immediate disappearance. Rather, direct communication will be much more constructive \u2013 focusing on the possibility for change and improvement will reassure someone of your trust and belief in them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this to be effective, you need to be clear about what you\u2019re asking for, and these objectives need to be achievable. Explain to someone where they\u2019ve been successful and how the skills displayed will serve them in the required tasks. This way you needn\u2019t resort to commenting on how nice someone\u2019s rucksack is just to maintain civility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Remember that people want to improve and succeed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now I\u2019d again emphasise there\u2019s a big difference between constructive and destructive feedback, but next time you\u2019re dreading giving feedback, it\u2019s important keep in mind how highly it\u2019s valued. After all, if you suppress what you have to say and no improvement is seen, it\u2019ll just compound your concerns and create a festering tension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Give feedback, not a lecture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After arranging a time to speak to someone, begin by asking them to review the relevant situation \u2013 a late pizza delivery, say. See if they admit to any mishaps or ways in which they failed to excel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a good pivot from which to deliver your feedback \u2013 the actions and events you witnessed and the unexpected outcomes produced. Then, before making any demands, give the other person another chance to speak. In responding to your description, they\u2019ll probably also develop a better understanding of the impact of their tardy pizza delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they value the job (or at least the pay packet), then they\u2019ll be motivated to make amends moving forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Don\u2019t only give feedback about negative issues<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a mistaken notion that people only learn valuable lessons from negative feedback, while positive feedback is just ego-fuel. According to this principle, negative feedback makes people review weaknesses and work harder to improve. Positive feedback, on the other hand, is mere flattery, which inevitably produces complacency and decreased concentration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, we disagree and see both positive and negative feedback as constructive modes of communication. Positive feedback, instead of making people narcissistic, breeds trust and mutual respect. People who work hard or do good deeds obviously appreciate being noticed. And after receiving positive feedback, people are more inclined to uphold this standard and look for new ways to innovate and make a positive impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Related blogs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n