Interim executives share how to deliver constructive feedback to employees in a way that will be listened to and followed.

Giving constructive feedback to employees is something every leader does. Even if you’ve got a highly qualified team from the best universities in the world, every individual is bound to fall off the mark in one task or another. It’s not because they aren’t capable. It’s usually because of a lack of guidance. Through quick feedback and review meetings, interim executives are able to train employees and improve overall performance in the organization.

Don’t be confrontational

If you are aggressive in your feedback, the employee will most likely get defensive and not admit to their mistakes. It creates a hostile work environment where nobody’s ready to take responsibility for their actions.  Instead, make them feel relaxed and talk to them as if talking to a friend. Say “you” less and focus more on how “we”, the company, are affected by your actions.

Use evidence

Have the evidence ready when sharing feedback. Instead of saying “you’re lazy”, share reports of unfinished tasks, missed deadlines and moments in the office where their assistance would have benefited the team.

Don’t just base your analysis on things you may have heard or seen. Sometimes it may not be the simple story that explains the behavior you’ve observed, and without having other witnesses to back you up, an employee can make up a story that offers a different explanation.

Interim executives give feedback sooner than later

Don’t wait until the dust settles. While the incident of poor performance is still fresh, talk to the employee at fault. If you deal with it later, they may have repeated their mistakes several times by then and will find it difficult to break the habit. The sooner you tackle a problem, the better.

To learn about how Cerius Interim Management can help you, please visit our home page by clicking here.