Most of us dread the task of delivering bad news, criticism or negative feedback, whether it’s in the workplace or in our personal lives. We worry about how people will react. But in real life, offering negative feedback or criticism is often necessary. Headway Capital makes the case that offering negative feedback in the workplace can lead to stronger, better outcomes if your feedback is delivered professionally and your attitude is open – in other words, what is often called “constructive criticism.” They offer a handy infographic with 12 suggested guidelines to help you keep the process of offering negative feedback healthy and productive, which we’ve included below. They also helpfully provide links to the articles they consulted, which we’ve included for additional information on this topic beneath the infographic.
Sources
Grant Halvorson, H. (2013). Sometimes, Negative Feedback Is Best.psychologytoday.com
Schwarz, R. (2013). How Critizizing in Private Undermines Your Team.hbr.org
Knight, R. (2014). How to Give Your Team Feedback.hbr.org
Ashkenas, R. (2014). Stop Pretending You Can’t Give Candid Feedback.hbr.org
Bregman, P. (2011). Don’t Be Nice; Be Helpful.hbr.org
Phoel, C.M. (2009). Feedback That Works.hbr.org
Correll, S. (2016). Research: Vague Feedback Is Holding Women Back.hbr.org.
Schwarz, R. (2013) The “Sandwich Approach” Undermines Your Feedback.hbr.org
Petersen, D. (2014) Carole Robin: How to Create a Feedback-Rich Environment. gsb.stanford.edu
Roth, D. (2013). Supporting Healthy Conflict In The Workplace.forbes.com