How to give feedback when somebody's wrong

HOW TO
GIVE FEEDBACK
WHEN SOMEBODY’S
WRONG

DO YOU DREAD GIVING
NEGATIVE/CORRECTIVE/
CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK?

DO YOU DREAD GIVING
NEGATIVE/CORRECTIVE/
CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK?
Here’s how to ensure it’s a win-win for both of you.

FIRSTLY,
CLEAR YOUR
CONSCIENCE
Understand it’s okay to give
negative feedback.
1

A Gallup Inc. study found that
employees who receive negative
feedback from their managers are
20 times more likely to be engaged at
work than their co-workers who are
receiving little to no feedback.
DID YOU KNOW
1 • CLEAR YOUR CONSCIENCE

TAKE IT FROM BILL:
We all need people who will give us
feedback. That’s how we improve.
-BILL GATES

TAKE IT FROM BILL:
We all need people who will give us
feedback. That’s how we improve.
-BILL GATES
OR FROM STEVE
IF YOU WISH:
My job is not to be easy on people.
My job is to make them better.
-STEVE JOBS

AND IF YOU’RE STILL
NOT CONVINCED...
...in the Harvard Business Review, a survey
of 900 global employees found that 57%
of respondents prefer corrective feedback
to praise and recognition.
1 • CLEAR YOUR CONSCIENCE1 • CLEAR YOUR CONSCIENCE

Feedback is the breakfast of champions.
- AUTHOR AND MANAGEMENT EXPERT,
KEN BLANCHARD

Feedback is the breakfast of champions.
- AUTHOR AND MANAGEMENT EXPERT,
KEN BLANCHARD
YOU JUST NEED TO SERVE IT RIGHT.

THESE INGREDIENTS ARE OUT:

THESE INGREDIENTS ARE OUT:
• Assigning blame
• Sugarcoating
• Beating around the bush
• Passive-aggression
• Sarcasm
• Indirect threats
• “I’m right, you’re wrong”
• One-way conversations
• Character assassinations

THESE INGREDIENTS ARE IN:

THESE INGREDIENTS ARE IN:
• Honest
• Straightforward
• Immediate

Criticism may not be agreeable,
but it is necessary. It fulfils the same
function as pain in the human
body. It calls attention
to an unhealthy state of things.
– WINSTON CHURCHILL

PICK THE RIGHT
CHANNEL
Use the channel that’ll give you
maximum room for honesty,
and minimum room
for misunderstandings.
2

WHAT NOT TO USE:
Email
2 • PICK THE RIGHT CHANNEL

WHAT NOT TO USE:
Email Phone

WHAT NOT TO USE:
Words can be misconstrued, and the message
can easily be received in a negative way.
Email Phone Social Media

TO ENSURE A POSITIVE
OUTCOME, GO SOMEWHERE
PRIVATE AND TALK TO THEM
FACE-TO-FACE.

THROW THE OLD
SANDWICH AWAY
It will do more harm than good.
3

POSITIVE FEEDBACK
3 • THROW THE OLD SANDWICH AWAY

POSITIVE FEEDBACK
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK

POSITIVE FEEDBACK
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
POSITIVE FEEDBACK

THE SANDWICH TECHNIQUE:
“Thanks for getting that article back to me
on time. Unfortunately the whole thing
was wrong and you’ll have to start over.
But you have been doing so well this week
and I’m really proud of you. “

THE SANDWICH TECHNIQUE:
“Thanks for getting that article back to me
on time. Unfortunately the whole thing
was wrong and you’ll have to start over.
But you have been doing so well this week
and I’m really proud of you. “
Rather get straight to the point

TOO MANY PEOPLE SEE
THROUGH THE “SANDWICH”
NOW. IT MAKES YOU SOUND
INSINCERE, AND DILUTES
THE MESSAGE.

GIVE THEM AN SBI
Use the Situation Behaviour
Impact Technique.
4

SITUATION
Put the feedback into context by telling them
where and when the situation occurred.
4 • GIVE THEM AN SBI

SITUATION
Put the feedback into context by telling them
where and when the situation occurred.
Yesterday afternoon, when we were having
our weekly meeting…

BEHAVIOUR
Describe the specific behaviour that took place.

BEHAVIOUR
...I noticed you struggled to find your notes,
and came ten minutes late.

BEHAVIOUR
...I noticed you struggled to find your notes,
and came ten minutes late.
Always focus on the behaviour
never the person. This keeps things
from getting personal.
TIP

IMPACT
Use “I” statements to describe how their
behaviour has affected you or the team.

IMPACT
I felt embarrassed because the entire board
was there. I’m concerned this has impacted
the team’s reputation.

IMPACT
I felt embarrassed because the entire board
was there. I’m concerned this has impacted
the team’s reputation.
Don’t hide behind “we” statements.
Always speak from your point of view.
This keeps it honest.
TIP

Negative feedback can make
us bitter or better.
– ROBIN SHARMA

STICK TO
THE FACTS
COGNITION > EMOTION
Don’t let your sentiments derail
the conversation. Stay objective by
backing your feedback with facts.
5

DONT SAY:
“Your bad behaviour is getting
on everybody’s nerves!”
5 • STICK TO THE FACTS

RATHER SAY:DONT SAY:
“Your bad behaviour is getting
on everybody’s nerves!”
“Over the past two days, I’ve
received five complaints about
you sleeping at your desk.”
5 • STICK TO THE FACTS

Raise your words,not your voice.
It is the rain that grows flowers,
not thunder.
– RUMI

USE THE MAGICAL
PHRASE
Understand that every word you
weave into your feedback can have
a powerful effect.
6

A team of psychologists from Yale,
Columbia, Stanford, and elsewhere,
found that this simple phrase makes
feedback 40% more effective:
“I’m giving you these comments because
I have very high expectations and I know
that you can reach them.”
DID YOU KNOW
6 • USE THE MAGICAL PHRASE

IT WORKS BECAUSE IT SIGNALS TO THEM:
They’re part
of a team
1 2 3

They’re part
of a team
There are high
standards
1 2 3

They’re part
of a team
There are high
standards
You believe
they can reach
those standards
1 2 3

It has long been an axiom of mine
that the little things are infinitely
the most important.
– ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

OFFER A CLEAR
SOLUTION
Leave them with specific
directions as to how they can
rectify their behaviour.
7

DONT SAY:
“Don’t ever do that again.”
7 • OFFER A CLEAR SOLUTION

DONT SAY:
“Don’t ever do that again.”
RATHER SAY:
"I want you to follow the
guidelines word for word
in future."
7 • OFFER A CLEAR SOLUTION

Problem talk creates problems.
Solutions talk creates solutions.
– AUTHOR AND PSYCHOTHERAPIST, STEVE DE SHAZER

FINALLY, LEVEL
THE PLAYING
FIELD
Mastering feedback isn’t just
about giving it.
8

Forbes found that employees are 74%
more engaged when their managers ask
for feedback on their performance.
DID YOU KNOW
8 • FINALLY, LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO
GROW A FEEDBACK CULTURE,
LEAD BY EXAMPLE,
AND INVITE IT.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU
WANT TO LEARN TODAY?

www.getsmarter.ac
IMPROVING LIVES THROUGH
BETTER EDUCATION

How to give feedback when somebody's wrong

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