What is a good way to give feedback?
https://hbr.org/2019/03/the-feedback-fallacy
In this article "Why Feedback Fails" by Marcus Buckingham, the best feedback you can give is to emphasize what the worker does well. For instance, if the worker is making a sale and the client is about to buy the product, then you as the boss would say to the salesman, "Keep doing THAT!" This is where you are excellent. In other words, during times your worker is succeeding, point out what he is doing well and how he is doing well.
Buckingham claims that when we criticize people, then the brain sees this as a threat and then the brain will initiate the 'flight or fight response' and that's why when people are criticized, they become defensive and emotional which impedes their ability to listen, learn and grow.
However, if you tell workers what they are already doing right and to encourage them to keep doing what they are doing right with a few improvements added, you initiate the creativity part of the brain, the 'rest and digest' part of the brain which is the time we are absorbing new info like when we talk to our friends, laugh at jokes, watch TV, and when we teach people to improve at their most creative moments, that's when they learn without the negative baggage of feeling threatened 'flight or fight' response.
Buckingham offers suggestions on how you can slightly change the wording of your tips to soften the blow of your feedback. Instead of pointing out a mistake like, 'You need better communication skills.", you can say, "If I were you...." scenario where you put yourself in that person's shoes and how you would handle that situation rather than tell the worker, show the worker through casual conversation so couch your feedback less like a mistake, but more like friendly advice and the worker will be more prone to listen to friendly advice from a 'friend' than from a micromanaging boss Ironically enough, this article on feedback came from my 'friendly advice' boss too! :).
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