How to Deliver Difficult Feedback

Failing to give honest and constructive feedback can lead to a host of problems for your team. Without feedback, employees may continue to make the same mistakes or operate inefficiently without understanding how to improve. This lack of communication can cause misunderstandings, lower morale, and eventually lead to team dysfunction. Moreover, as a leader, withholding feedback means you miss the opportunity to help your team grow, which can result in missed performance goals, stagnation, and frustration for both you and your team. Providing clear, timely feedback is essential for cultivating a healthy and high-performing team.

This week I tell the story of Monique, a highly successful CEO whose discomfort with conflict and difficult conversations undermined her leadership team. Because Monique avoided giving critical feedback, her leadership team became plagued with gossip, infighting, and an inability to collaborate. As a result, Monique found herself constantly stepping in to mediate and fix problems, which drained her time and energy. Her reluctance to address the issues head-on had a ripple effect, preventing her team from reaching their full potential and creating a toxic environment.

Key Questions Discussed In the Podcast

• What are the risks of not providing honest and constructive feedback to your team?
• How can leaders deliver difficult feedback effectively using the SBI (Situation, Behavior, Impact) model?
• How does constructive feedback contribute to building a more collaborative and high-performing team?

Resources:

• Two-Thirds of Managers Are Uncomfortable Communicating with Employees - by Lou Solomon, Harvard Business Review, March 2016
• Optimizing Positive Feedback - by Dr. Joel M. Rothaizer, MCC, Forbes, Sept. 2023

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Contact Amy to train your team on how to give constructive feedback: [email protected]

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