For most managers, giving positive feedback is simple: be brief, focus on what went well and if it’s heartfelt, all the better.
It genuinely feels great to give employees a metaphorical pat on the back. From a team member’s perspective, they feel appreciated and recognised for their work.
But what happens when you have to deliver negative feedback? For many leaders, a fear of confrontation can lead to sleepless nights, sweaty palms and stress. It can make you uncomfortable and resurrects playground worries that you’ll be unpopular and disliked.
Zenger Folkman carried out a survey of 7,631 managers to find out whether they believed that giving negative feedback was stressful or difficult.
Forty four per cent agreed that it was.
In fact, some managers actively avoid giving any kind of critical feedback to avoid stress. What’s more surprising is that in a different self-assessment survey, 37 per cent of respondents admitted they don’t give any positive reinforcement either.
Research shows that workers place great emphasis on receiving feedback and that its absence can be detrimental on many levels.
The conclusion? Managers should work on developing the skill of giving praise as well as criticism and help their team develop.
