Most leaders and managers are not eager about giving consistent feedback to the people they work with because giving a good consistent feedback is not an easy task. They might say something they will regret later due to the fact that people are too emotional. However, this post explores five common blunders in giving feedback that can serve as a great guide to enable leaders and managers give consistent error-free feedbacks.

Feedback with Ambiguity

A feedback that is too ambiguous can be misleading to people and they will have great difficulties with understanding the real intents of the content. Therefore, always avoid cliché phrases in the content of your feedback. If you desire to motivate and encourage someone to continue with a productive behavior, you have to let them know what they had done so they can keep doing it.

Feedback with Judgemental Terms

Giving feedback using judgmental terms is a big blunder because it puts people on the defensive. In essence, a good feedback should only judge the actions not the personality of the individuals because, if your feedback judges the individuals, they will want to defend their personality. Meanwhile, you have sent the message that you know what is right or wrong.

The Feedback Goes On Too Long

Repeating a particular feedback consistent for a long time is an error. Therefore, know when to pause or stop it completely. Why? People need time to process the information they have received in order to effect the desired change/result.

Feedback with Implied Threat Content

Giving feedback that contains threats or implied threat is a big error. For example, telling people that their job is in jeopardy does not strengthen good behavior or illustrate bad behavior. It only generates animosity, so take note.

The Feedback that Speaks for Others

Speaking to other people or bringing in other people into your feedback is an error, therefore limit your feedback to the information that you know. Dragging a third party’s name into the picture only confuses the recipients, who then begins to ponder why other people are talking about them behind their back. Be conscious of the limit when giving your feedback.