Each and every day, in our jobs and outside them, we experience things that happen where we may need to “correct” or provide critique. Giving negative feedback in a positive way is not easy!

It may be the way someone on your team presented a proposal, it may be the way your boss handled a disciplinary matter, it may be a sponsorship review with your sponsor on activation follow through, or you may be a sponsor and it is feedback with the property on what could have been done better with your investment. Likewise, it could be on the personal side with a spouse or child. Each and every day, we have opportunities to critique others so they can improve. The way you critique or provide such feedback will determine if the support is effective or not. It is not usually the suggestion or content that results in a change of behavior or actions. It is the way the message is delivered!

I have done some research and have taken from my personal experiences in over 30 years of management. Here are a few ideas that I hope you can benefit from.

• Have ongoing communication, so that when you meet to critique, the relationship already exists. If the only time you really talk to someone is to give them negative information, they can see the negativity coming a mile away (basically every time you see them)!

• Don’t follow the old adage of having praise before and after, or “sandwiching” the negative feedback between two pieces of positive feedback! The person you are talking to gets mixed messages. Connect more often and talk to them about their successes in separate conversations than the negative information. Don’t take away praise by including negativity. This comes back to communicating more often!

• I try always to “ask permission,” whether it is a client I am mentoring or in talking with my wife or daughter. Ask “Is it O.K. if I make a suggestion?” or “May I give you some feedback?” After each hockey or softball game, my daughter now asks for feedback, she knows she will get the truth and not a candy coated answer.

• Often we are told to “stick to the topic and facts” when we deliver a negative critique. I believe we need to humanize it. If the property was late in delivering on assets, note that, but also learn why. It may be a bigger issue than just being late. Let them explain. No matter if this is work related or at home.

I know there are probably other tips on how to provide effective critique. If you have one or two, please feel free to share directly with me or on our blog for the benefit of all.

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