Constructive feedback is a communication tool used to create positive change in the workplace by giving individuals specific suggestions to improve their work habits. It specifically focuses on providing feedback that comes from a place of clear good intentions. If the recipient knows you are on their side, you’ll be better able to avoid misinterpretation.

If you want the best chance at achieving positive results and improving your employee’s performance, here are some tips you can follow whenever you offer feedback:

1. __Focus on the issue__. Proper constructive criticism should always focus on the situation or issue caused by the person, rather than focusing on the person’s character. 
2. __Be sincere__. Whether you’re giving positive comments or negative criticism, effective feedback must be earnest. State how you feel about the issue, and pay attention to your tone of voice and body language so that the person not only hears your sincerity but feels it too. 
3. __Avoid the sandwich method__. A feedback sandwich is when you sneak in a negative statement between two positive ones in order to soften the blow. Contrary to popular belief, however, this is an ineffective performance management technique. It will often cause the recipient to focus solely on their accolades and your constructive criticism can get lost in the shuffle.
4. __Be specific__. Give specific feedback focused on one issue rather than addressing multiple incidents at once.
5. __Allow a response__. Good feedback operates best as a two-way street. The recipient will feel comforted by knowing you’re also open to receiving feedback, so ask them what they think about the issue you’ve brought up.
6. __Recommend a solution__. Once the individual has had a chance to respond, offer up specific examples of the next steps they can take to solve the issue. 
7. __Provide a summary__. To end the feedback session, give the individual a brief summary of the discussion in order to make sure they properly received the message. You can also encourage them to check in with you at any time to follow up on anything that may have been unclear.
Applying the concepts of constructive feedback may seem overwhelming once you’re actually face-to-face with someone, but it becomes easier with practice. Here are three examples of how you can give constructive feedback in specific situations: 

1. __If an employee is consistently late to team meetings__: “I’ve noticed it’s becoming a pattern for you to arrive late to meetings. This bothers me because either we wait for you and it delays everyone else’s schedule, or we start without you and miss out on your contributions. How do you feel about this? You’re an asset to our team, and going forward, I need you to be more punctual. I suggest trying to set extra calendar alerts to remind you of our meeting times.”
2. __If an employee isn’t preparing enough for their presentations__: “Based on your last two presentations, it’s clear you’re not putting enough hard work in to prepare. This disappoints me because it reflects poorly on the entire company when clients see a lazy presentation. What do you think? I know you’re capable of doing better, so from now on I expect you to spend more time designing the aesthetics of the slides, double-checking your grammar, citing your sources when necessary, and creating visual aids to back up your points.”
3. __If an employee appears to have lost their drive to perform at a high level__: “I’ve noticed this quarter that you seem to be having a hard time staying motivated and that you haven’t been putting as much effort into your daily tasks. You’re normally one of our all-star team members, so I just wanted to see if there was something specific bothering you or if there was anything I could do to help you rediscover your spark? I’d be happy to try giving you some new responsibilities if you think some variety might put you back on track. My door is always open, so I encourage you to check in with me once a month to let me know how you’re feeling.”
Get the [MasterClass Annual Membership](https://www.masterclass.com/) for exclusive access to video lessons taught by business luminaries, including Chris Voss, Sara Blakely, Bob Iger, Howard Schultz, Anna Wintour, and more.
Delivering feedback is an essential aspect of any supervisor’s job. Whether you give employees positive feedback or negative feedback, you help them recognize areas where they can improve in order to achieve professional growth. That’s why it’s so important to [make sure you have the communication skills to provide constructive feedback](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-improve-your-interpersonal-communication-skills) in the workplace. This guide will teach you the essential concepts behind giving constructive feedback so you can avoid sparking feelings of defensiveness and low self-esteem when communicating with coworkers.


Delivering feedback is an essential aspect of any supervisor’s job. Whether you give employees positive feedback or negative feedback, you help them recognize areas where they can improve in order to achieve professional growth. That’s why it’s so important to [make sure you have the communication skills to provide constructive feedback](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-improve-your-interpersonal-communication-skills) in the workplace. This guide will teach you the essential concepts behind giving constructive feedback so you can avoid sparking feelings of defensiveness and low self-esteem when communicating with coworkers.


7 Tips for Giving Valuable Feedback in the Workplace

Constructive feedback is a communication tool used to create positive change in the workplace by giving individuals specific suggestions to improve their work habits. It specifically focuses on providing feedback that comes from a place of clear good intentions. If the recipient knows you are on their side, you’ll be better able to avoid misinterpretation.

What Is Constructive Feedback?

If you want the best chance at achieving positive results and improving your employee’s performance, here are some tips you can follow whenever you offer feedback:<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Focus on the issue. Proper constructive criticism should always focus on the situation or issue caused by the person, rather than focusing on the person’s character. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Be sincere. Whether you’re giving positive comments or negative criticism, effective feedback must be earnest. State how you feel about the issue, and pay attention to your tone of voice and body language so that the person not only hears your sincerity but feels it too. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Avoid the sandwich method. A feedback sandwich is when you sneak in a negative statement between two positive ones in order to soften the blow. Contrary to popular belief, however, this is an ineffective performance management technique. It will often cause the recipient to focus solely on their accolades and your constructive criticism can get lost in the shuffle. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Be specific. Give specific feedback focused on one issue rather than addressing multiple incidents at once. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Allow a response. Good feedback operates best as a two-way street. The recipient will feel comforted by knowing you’re also open to receiving feedback, so ask them what they think about the issue you’ve brought up. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Recommend a solution. Once the individual has had a chance to respond, offer up specific examples of the next steps they can take to solve the issue. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 7. Provide a summary. To end the feedback session, give the individual a brief summary of the discussion in order to make sure they properly received the message. You can also encourage them to check in with you at any time to follow up on anything that may have been unclear. </li></ol>

7 Tips for Giving Constructive Feedback

Applying the concepts of constructive feedback may seem overwhelming once you’re actually face-to-face with someone, but it becomes easier with practice. Here are three examples of how you can give constructive feedback in specific situations: <ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. If an employee is consistently late to team meetings: “I’ve noticed it’s becoming a pattern for you to arrive late to meetings. This bothers me because either we wait for you and it delays everyone else’s schedule, or we start without you and miss out on your contributions. How do you feel about this? You’re an asset to our team, and going forward, I need you to be more punctual. I suggest trying to set extra calendar alerts to remind you of our meeting times.” </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. If an employee isn’t preparing enough for their presentations: “Based on your last two presentations, it’s clear you’re not putting enough hard work in to prepare. This disappoints me because it reflects poorly on the entire company when clients see a lazy presentation. What do you think? I know you’re capable of doing better, so from now on I expect you to spend more time designing the aesthetics of the slides, double-checking your grammar, citing your sources when necessary, and creating visual aids to back up your points.” </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. If an employee appears to have lost their drive to perform at a high level: “I’ve noticed this quarter that you seem to be having a hard time staying motivated and that you haven’t been putting as much effort into your daily tasks. You’re normally one of our all-star team members, so I just wanted to see if there was something specific bothering you or if there was anything I could do to help you rediscover your spark? I’d be happy to try giving you some new responsibilities if you think some variety might put you back on track. My door is always open, so I encourage you to check in with me once a month to let me know how you’re feeling.” </li></ol>

3 Examples of Constructive Feedback

Get the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/","linkCopy":"MasterClass Annual Membership","category":null}'>MasterClass Annual Membership</a> for exclusive access to video lessons taught by business luminaries, including Chris Voss, Sara Blakely, Bob Iger, Howard Schultz, Anna Wintour, and more.

Want to Learn More About Business?

Delivering feedback is an essential aspect of any supervisor’s job. Whether you give employees positive feedback or negative feedback, you help them recognize areas where they can improve in order to achieve professional growth. That’s why it’s so important to <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-improve-your-interpersonal-communication-skills' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-improve-your-interpersonal-communication-skills","linkCopy":"make sure you have the communication skills to provide constructive feedback","category":null}'>make sure you have the communication skills to provide constructive feedback</a> in the workplace. This guide will teach you the essential concepts behind giving constructive feedback so you can avoid sparking feelings of defensiveness and low self-esteem when communicating with coworkers.

Delivering feedback is an essential aspect of any supervisor’s job. Whether you give employees positive feedback or negative feedback, you help them recognize areas where they can improve in order to achieve professional growth. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you have the communication skills to provide constructive feedback (https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-improve-your-interpersonal-communication-skills) in the workplace. This guide will teach you the essential concepts behind giving constructive feedback so you can avoid sparking feelings of defensiveness and low self-esteem when communicating with coworkers.
