11 Steps to Giving Employee Negative Feedback

Every successful entrepreneur eventually has the experience of giving what is perceived to be negative feedback to an employee, manager, vendor, or partner.  Providing this kind of feedback is essential to leadership, and it is the most direct way to provide direct reports with information on how they are performing.  This type of communication is best handled face-to-face – and NEVER by email.

While some of these communications happen at regularly-scheduled intervals, such as at semi-annual or annual reviews, frequently it becomes necessary to provide this kind of feedback on shorter notice at the time underperformance is detected.  It is common for some personality-types to put off these conversations, which only delays the inevitable.

Others find it easier to deal with in very brief but pointed meetings in the attempt to avoid confrontation. This usually results in confusion by an employee who is looking for a more detailed explanation, or who feels that his/her side of the story has not been told.  Yet other personalities become so frustrated with the performance issue that the focus is heavily weighted on shortcomings without offering advice, direction or suggestions on how to improve, or on what type of training needs exist.

These are always delicate situations that must be handled carefully. If not, otherwise good employees can feel detached and frustrated.  Here are 11 steps that can help overcome these problems:

1. Make sure you do your homework. Nothing is more demotivating to an employee than to get criticized by a manager that is unprepared, or who is acting on allegations or rumor.
2. Know the personality of the employee. The delivery can be altered to accommodate the traits of the employee.  Introverts respond differently than extroverts.  Those prone to defensiveness will need time to vent.
3. Rehearse.  Write down the main points you want to make, and quickly rehearse your approach.  You want to sound natural, not overly staged.  Be prepared to listen to explanations, and think through some potential followup questions.
4. Do it in private. When possible, give the employee advanced notice so they can be prepared.
5. Be direct. Eliminate the small talk and get the point.  Small talk serves as no cushion to a direct conversation.
6. Criticize the performance, not the person. Don’t point fingers.  Don’t make it personal.
7. Be ready for anger. Anger is a natural response to criticism.  By preparing for it, you can avoid responding with it, even if you are directly challenged.
8. Be ready for silence. Some personality-types will shut down.  Don’t ask them to give you an immediate response.  If you are getting monosyllabic responses, ask open-ended questions to hear their side.
9. Suggest a plan of action. The best resolution can occur when the two of you put together an action plan together to improve performance.
10. Document the conversation. There are many reasons for this, and most of them are for your own protection if the employee handles the situation poorly. It also provides for a good reference for subsequent meetings.
11. Follow up. After the meeting, provide the employee with a written summary of what was discussed and all suggestions, decisions, and action plans decided.  Then, set up a follow-up meeting to monitor progress.

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