Criticism – can you do it politely?

At some point, as a manager you will have to tell someone that you don’t think they’ve done a good job – and it’s not always easy. Not only do you need to communicate your dissatisfaction with the way the job has been done, and require it to be improved, but you have to do this while making sure that the other person doesn’t feel personally attacked, embarrassed or humiliated. You need to be able to give effective, understandable criticism while staying polite and professional at all times.

Here are some tips to help:

1. Focus on the issue not the person

Always make your criticism constructive, focusing on the issue not the person, and where possible avoid negative formulae. Remember that you are both trying to achieve the best possible outcome, not exchange accusations or apportion blame. If you’re already feeling annoyed with the person’s attitude or there are other performance issues, try to separate them in your head: do you want to discuss this one unsatisfactory piece of work, or do you really want to have a broader discussion about the quality of their work in general? Whatever the answer, make sure you know what you want the outcome of this conversation to be, and don’t mix issues up. If necessary, schedule another time to have the bigger discussion, rather than confusing it with the work in hand.

2. Show appreciation

People are much more receptive to listening and acting on criticism if they feel you’re on their side. So first of all say something positive to the other person: for example, “Thank you so much for handing this piece of work in on time!” or: “Thanks very much for all your hard work in getting it done!” If they’ve done something you like, tell them so. Your aim is to communicate to them that the criticism you’re about to give relates to a specific issue and is not a criticism of them personally – you don’t want them to feel like a failure, or to get the impression you are angry (even if you are).

3. Don’t give mixed messages

When you say something positive, be very careful not to make them think that this unsatisfactory piece of work is better than it is. Don’t wrap your criticism up in too much praise: it will give a mixed message which will only confuse and frustrate them. For example, don’t say, “This report’s great! There are just one or two small things I’d like to discuss,” if you really want them to do a lot of rewriting. Once you’ve made your positive opening comment, tell them quite directly that you would like to discuss this piece of work with them, as you think it still needs a lot more effort (or whatever is appropriate to the situation). You can say, “I think it’s good but there are a couple of things I’d like changed,” or: “It’s basically fine but it’s not quite there yet.” If you’re very unhappy with the quality of the work, you can say, “I’m afraid that this still needs a lot of work.” Make it clear that what you’d like is to discuss ways in which to improve the situation – so that you both end up pleased with the result.

4. Right time, right place

You need to keep the tone of the conversation polite and calm, and you need to find the right environment to have it. That doesn’t mean standing next to the person at their desk, in a room full of other people, or giving them your feedback five minutes before their lunch hour! Ask if they have some time now to discuss the points you want to make, or arrange to meet later when it’s convenient for both of you. Then find a room or a quiet place where you can sit together without being interrupted.

5. Stay calm, polite and objective throughout

While you’re giving your criticism, look at the other person. Don’t just look at the computer screen or the page in front of you, or their left shoulder; watch their face and keep eye contact, if possible, making sure they understand what you’re saying. Remember that sometimes mistakes are made because people haven’t understood what they were supposed to be doing: maybe the briefing wasn’t good enough. Speak slowly and calmly, and don’t rush the conversation: allow them time to ask questions and make their own points. Above all, don’t let this turn into a blame session, don’t make personal comments about their abilities, and don’t get angry. If you feel you’re losing your cool, remember that it will only make matters worse.

6. Use the word “I” and not “you”

Rather than saying, for example, “You made a lot of mistakes in this section,” say, “I found quite a lot of mistakes in this section. Could you please correct them?”, making it clear you’re criticising the piece of work and not the person. Or, “I found the overall tone of this report rather negative. Could you have another look at it and try to make it more upbeat?” (Again, if it’s really the person you want to criticise, keep that separate. This discussion is about this piece of work.)

7. Make your point and then stop

Once you’ve said what you want to say, stop! Ask if they have understood what you’ve said, and allow them time to answer. Agree that you’ll have a follow-up when the work has been done, and show confidence in their ability to make the improvements themselves. (If you really think they are incapable of producing satisfactory work, then it’s time to have that bigger discussion about the standard of their work in general.) Finally, before you leave the room, show appreciation again for their efforts and end the discussion with a smile.

Learning to give feedback and criticism is crucial to building an effective team. It needs careful thought and sensitivity in order to avoid hurt feelings and a build-up of resentment. But if it’s done right, it can be painless and ultimately lead to stronger teams and higher quality work.

Content from : HP Technology at work
Thanks & Regards,
S.Grace Paul Regan