You're tasked with giving constructive feedback over email. How can you do so without causing offense?
Crafting constructive criticism over email can be delicate. Here's how to strike the right balance:
How do you ensure your feedback is received as intended? Share your strategies.
You're tasked with giving constructive feedback over email. How can you do so without causing offense?
Crafting constructive criticism over email can be delicate. Here's how to strike the right balance:
How do you ensure your feedback is received as intended? Share your strategies.
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Constructive feedback is not intended to be offensive. To provide effective feedback, one should: - Offer detailed insights by answering the questions: Why? What? How? This approach ensures that the individual fully understands their actions. - Highlight opportunities for improvement. This demonstrates that the organization is prepared to tackle any challenges that arise. - Include words of encouragement. This helps to build the person's confidence.
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Do EVERYTHING you can to avoid giving feedback without a conversation. If you do need to give feedback by email (and I challenge this need), start by eliciting self-feedback, such as, "I wanted to check in with you about x, y, z. What are your thoughts?" If their response is in alignment with yours, you get to repeat, explain, and move to "what's next?" If not, clarify the expectations, state your observation of the behavior, and the impact of that behavior on the business. Then move to, "what's next?" with them as the principal actor. This only works if you clarified the expectations in the first place. Create safety with a statement like, "I'm telling you this because I believe in you and I see a future for you with the company."
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I would never provide feedback via email unless absolutely necessary. Feedback should be delivered personally whenever possible to allow for dialogue, clarification, and emotional nuance. If there were no alternative, I’d rather wake up at 3:00 a.m. to give feedback face-to-face than rely on email, which often leads to misinterpretation. That said, I find the LinkedIn feedback suggestions practical - they provide a solid framework to work with. However, I’d still emphasize involving the recipient in proposing their own solutions, ensuring the feedback feels collaborative and increases the likelihood of meaningful, sustainable changes.
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This is interesting. I always prefer sandwich method. Begin with a positive feedback to acknowledge what has been done well. Then follow with constructive criticisms (introduce areas of improvement and offering actionable solutions). Finally, conclude the email with an encouraging remark to motivate them and show my support to them. Don’t forget to keep your tone respectful, and make sure there’s an open line of communication in the end, like saying, “please let me know if you’d like to discuss this further or need any assistance.”
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I use the '3Rs' framework when providing constructive feedback via email: Reiterate, Refine, and Redirect. I reiterate the goal or expectation, refine the specific behavior or action that needs improvement, and redirect the recipient towards a solution or resource. This structured approach helps ensure clarity, precision, and a supportive tone.
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When I had to give feedback via email in my previous project, I was mindful of how my words would come across. Here's how I made sure my feedback was constructive: 1. Be clear and specific: Focus on the issue, not the person. For example, instead of saying "This was wrong," I would say, "I noticed that the function doesn't return the expected result when we input X. Let's try adjusting Y." 2. Use a positive tone: Acknowledge what worked well before addressing the areas of improvement 😊. 3. Frame as suggestions, not orders: Instead of directing, "You need to fix this," I’d say, "What if we tried doing it this way?" 4. Ask for their perspective: Invite their thoughts. "I’d love to hear your thoughts on this approach."
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Feedback is a 🎁 that helps others grow. Start by acknowledging what they’ve done well to show appreciation for their efforts. Then, share specific, actionable feedback in a respectful tone, focusing on the behavior or result, not the person. Offer suggestions or solutions for improvement, and end on an encouraging note to highlight their potential🙂 💡 Tip: Use positive language and “I” statements to make your feedback feel collaborative, not critical.
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1. Start with a positive comment or acknowledgment of their work. 2. Identify the specific areas where improvement is needed. 3. Use "I" statements to focus on your perspective, rather than blaming. 4. Provide actionable suggestions for improvement. 5. Use polite and respectful language. 6. Conclude with a positive note, expressing confidence in their ability to improve. Example: Hi [Team Member's Name], I wanted to provide some feedback on [specific project or task]. I appreciate your hard work on [specific positive aspect]. I noticed that [specific area of concern]. Perhaps we could [suggestion for improvement]. I'm confident you can make the necessary adjustments. Please let me know if you have any questions. Best regards, [Your Name]
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