Feedback is one of the most important communication skills that you can master.
Whether you are trying to change negative behaviour or encourage repetition of some positive behaviour, you will find a feedback strategy which you can use to achieve your purpose.
Constructive feedback
Constructive feedback provides a simple but effective 3 step strategy to correct behaviour which you do not want to see again. Some examples of situations where constructive feedback might be used to include:
- Poor performance
- Training and education
- Conflict or aggressive behaviour
- Rudeness or impoliteness
The most important thing to remember with constructive feedback is that the recipient must be clear about what the issue is, why it is important and how to move forward.
Positive feedback
Positive feedback is all about reinforcing positive behaviour. Feedack is not just for negative situations. When you see something that you would like to see more of, you need to use positive feedback to encourage repetition. People love recognition and praise so nobody is going to complain about receiving too much praise. In fact, those who receive praise will be determined to receive more, thus making them more likely to repeat the positive behaviour.
Another major benefit of positive feedback is that when you make it a regular habit, people will be more willing to listen on the rare occassions (hopefully) where you need to use constructive feedback.
2 Easy ways to deliver feedback infographic
I have created the infographic below to offer you some simple guidelines for when you should use each type of feedback and, how to deliver the feedback.
As you can see, these two forms of feedback are very easy to deliver but I promise you that they reap big rewards. So, next time you encounter an appropriate situation, give them a try.
For more great communication strategies, check out How to Talk So Others Listen.