Giving and receiving clear and constructive feedback requires courage and skill, and is essential to building good relationships with and motivating peak performance from your team. Consider the following tips to build feedback-giving and receiving skills:

Giving feedback to your team members

• Conduct more frequent performance review sessions to nip issues in the bud and avoid the messy interpersonal tangles that result from neglected communication. Meeting with employees on a monthly or quarterly basis instead of annually, for example, conveys, "Your success is important to me, so I want to be accessible to you."

• It’s never easy to provide negative feedback regarding someone’s work, but as a leader you can’t avoid it. Be as clear as possible when providing feedback (both positive and negative). Give specific examples that illustrate your points.

For example…Instead of saying, "Your attitude is bad" or "That didn’t work," you might say something like, "When you miss deadlines, then cross your arms and look away when I discuss it with you, it gives me the impression that you don’t care about the quality of your work. I’d like to believe this isn’t true. Can you help me explain this better?"

• Work out a specific progress plan. Be clear about the specific changes in behavior that you expect in a specific period of time, and follow up as scheduled.

• When you communicate with employees, reinforce the value of their contributions by giving specific examples of how day-to-day work and positive behaviors serve the organization and its customers.

Asking staff for feedback

• Understand that staff members may be afraid to express their opinions at first, particularly if expression has been punished in the past at your organization or the employee's former employer. Being honest requires trust. Be consistent and gracefully receive feedback, even if it’s critical, to help build trust.

• Provide your own opinion first, if necessary, to get the conversation started. For example, you might share your own opinion of improvements that can be made within your firm, or anonymously share constructive criticism offered by other employees.

• Ask for feedback on how meetings are run, and what employees would like to discuss. By involving them in discussions, you’re more likely to have their support and they are more likely to have the information and tools they need to do their jobs well.

Using feedback forums

• Offer options that allow for anonymous input. Suggestion boxes, anonymous surveys, and "graffiti walls" are examples. In small firms, this isn't always possible, since the tone of a comment or the subject matter may well reveal its author. Honest face-to-face options might be better for very small groups, while the anonymous feedback options might be more appropriate for larger groups in organizations that have a more political, hierarchical culture.

• Invite employees from different areas to sit down for a discussion on certain issues. Reassure each individual that he or she won’t be penalized for expressing an opinion, and then ensure that you don't treat employees differently just because they've offered honesty or criticism.

• Employees may feel more comfortable providing their ideas, feedback and opinions to an outside source. Hire a neutral party to gather feedback, and allow the third-party interviewers to keep specific interviewees and their contributions confidential.

Remember, this information is food-for-thought, not customized counsel. The most effective interpersonal and organizational communication program is one that's been tailored to meet the unique needs of your group. If you have questions, connect with a communication advisor or e-mail us for suggestions.