How to Give Negative Feedback Constructively - Why It's Important in Business and Crucial in Change

In general business management knowing how to give negative feedback constructively is an important skill, but in change initiatives this is critical. The restructuring, refocusing and re-engineering is only the start. As business leader in a change management environment, you face the equally if not more difficult challenge of getting the staff to deliver your new vision and achieve the revenue forecasts. So this is all about translating vision and strategy into actionable steps.

People are very different in the ways they process information, interpret life, and in the ways they are motivated. Many (probably most) of them are not able to make the leap from hearing and understanding your vision and strategy to translating that into purposeful productive action. This does not mean that they don't understand it, or agree with it, but it does simply mean that the leap is too great for most people to make - without practical assistance. And they will make mistakes and get it wrong.

The absolute key to how to give negative feedback constructively and without destroying the other person's self esteem - is to separate the behaviour from the person. So you are addressing the behaviour and not the person.

Ken Blanchard was very hot on this 25 years ago in his "One Minute Manager" series of books. He also said: "catch them doing something right- and praise them".

This second big key to this and that underpins the first point is to "earn the right" to make the negative feedback by doing so in a context of frequent and regular positive feedback.

Over the years I have seen senior managers and directors issue edicts and criticise their staff from a distance and it always demotivates and causes resentment.

In line management, I have many times seen [and in the distant past experienced] managers dispensing negative feedback - and worst of all doing so behind people's backs.

I recall a situation about 25 years ago when I was a young business development manager at Dun & Bradstreet, and one of my team was under performing badly. Fortunately I had just read "The One Minute Manager" on how to give negative feedback and decided to put it into practise. As I outlined the performance issue I could see the woman I was talking to getting more and more resentful, defensive and tearful. Then, I will never forget how her expression changed completely and she smiled as I said "...but Annabel, I do want you to realise that I am not criticising you as a person..." and the whole mood of our exchange changed.

There are 3 guiding principles in how to give negative feedback:

(1) Clarity

Firstly, be very clear what you are seeking to achieve e.g. is this a prelude to job change or sacking, or are you seeking improvement, are you seeking to discover what may be a much bigger and more widespread issue?

Secondly, establish as quickly as possible whether you are dealing with a resource problem, a training problem or an attitude problem.

(2) Speed

People have short memories and it is important to link the feedback to the event that gave rise to it becoming necessary.

(3) Consistency

If you have set a clear performance standard - you must ensure that people meet that standard. Letting things slide because you don't want to confront the problem or feel sorry for the person is poor management and helps no-one - least of all the person with the problem.

So this is all about translating vision and strategy into actionable steps and providing negative feedback in a constructive positive manner.

The 70% failure rate of all change initiatives would suggest that the inability to do this is very closely linked to the core reasons for this failure rate.

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