GIVING CONSTRUCTIVE

FEEDBACK
 • It is normally not difficult to give positive feedback to
people doing well or in general, to give information that
Giving people want to hear.
Constructive
Feedback • Giving negative or critical feedback, or information that
people do not want to hear, can be much more
problematic.
 Why are people, so reluctant to provide feedback?
The reasons are many but the two most important reasons are
Giving
1. Fear of the other person's reaction. People can become defensive and
Constructive emotional when confronted with critical feedback.
Feedback
2. Fear of causing tension in the other person.
 • Feedback is reinforcing. If given properly, feedback is
almost always appreciated and motivates people to
improve.
Feedback Giving
• Honest feedback can also strengthen the credibility of the
Skill feedback provider.
• It is important that feedback is given in a supportive and
encouraging way, so that the receiver does not feel
constantly criticized, afraid and tense.
 There are a number of guidelines toward giving feedback effectively, i.e. so that it can
be used constructively rather than incurring overly defensive reactions.Your feedback
should:

• Feedback should highlight specific events or

Feedback Giving Be Specific examples rather than just general advice. It
should also be specific about what the person
Skill did.

Offer a • Feedback should suggest ways of resolving any

solution problems.
 • This is simply a reminder that feedback,
even negative feedback, should be
Feedback Giving Be sensitive delivered in a positive way rather than
simply attacking the other person.
Skill

Be problem oriented, • Feedback should focus on issues. It is

important that we refer to what a person
not people oriented does rather than to what we think he is.
 • People more readily receive information if the
Be descriptive, not sender describes what happened and
communicates the personal effect it had, as
evaluative opposed to evaluating its goodness or badness,
Feedback Giving rightness or wrongness.

Skill
• Feedback should be helpful to the receiver and
Be helpful directed toward behavior which the receiver
can do something about.
 Feedback
Feedback Giving is useful
• Depending, of course, on the person's
readiness to hear it, support available from
Skill others, and so forth feedback should be given
when well immediately after the action.

timed