So whether you’re a manager delivering feedback to your direct report, or sending feedback up the management chain, the best way to make your conversation heard is to make the listener feel safe, and to show that you’re saying it because you care about her and want her to succeed. “If you come off with even a whiff of an ulterior motive — you want to be right, you’re judging her, you’re annoyed or impatient — the message won’t get through. When you do have critical feedback to share, approach it with a sense of curiosity and an honest desire to understand your report’s perspective,” says Julie Zhuo.
One simple trick is to state your point directly and then follow up with another question: “Does this feedback resonate with you? Why or why not?”
“If the answer is yes, now the person has both acknowledged and reflected on the feedback, so it’s more likely to stick. If the answer is no, that’s fine as well — now we can discuss why that is, and what would make the feedback more useful. To make doubly sure you’ve been heard at the end of a conversation ask: ‘Okay, let’s make sure we’re on the same page — what are your takeaways?’”
Author: Julie Zhuo
Source: First Round Review
Subjects: Human Resources, Management, Organizational Behavior
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