The goal of giving feedback isn't to simply give feedback, rather it's to get the person to accept feedback in a productive and plausible way. We tend to let feedback be given at a later stage especially when it's constructive due to our own discomfort in providing such feedback. One of the best things that we can do when giving feedback is to use language that is neutral and positions the person receiving the feedback to be accepting of it. One of the best concepts of any type of feedback or coaching, for that matter, is something called WIIFT, which stands for what's in it for them. If you have an employee who is struggling with handling a certain customer situation there are typical ways we can provide such feedback. First, the rhetorical management way is simply telling them you have to handle this differently. Second, the more constructive way always delivers the message with the benefit to the person receiving feedback. For example, would you mind if I provided you a perspective where we could improve on handling that situation and ultimately providing you greater comfort going forward. The words I used were perspective, improve, and comfort which provides a specific benefit to the employee.
The key phrases or words to use when giving feedback that allows the receiver of the feedback to be more accepting is as follows:
- Opportunity
- Perspective
- We
- Share
- Benefit
Example: http://salebuilder.audioacrobat.com/download/audioacrobat-6926-u-1731771-s-2.audio.mp3
