As managers we are often faced with the problem of an employee not performing up to expected levels. In these situations providing corrective feedback without damaging morale is a must.
These are some guidelines:
- Always choose a private moment to do it. It can be in the privacy of your office or even a one on one in the conference room after a review meeting.
- Don’t become personal. Focus on the deficient areas and then ask how we (plural) can correct it.
- Ask for reasons and also ask how it can be rectified. Guide him gently to the ideal solution. He will take to it if he feels that he came up with the solution.
- Always fix a date for a review.
An effective corrective feedback not only leaves the employee motivated to change but also ensures that such deficient behaviour doesn’t reoccur again.
