How to give constructive criticism

by Lucy Cadman @ Developing People

I had a dance lesson last night, and danced with a new partner for the first time. I have always been used to being the more experienced member of my previous partnership, and as a result have been used to being the one who has had to lead, remember, and generally be in charge. However, my new partner has infinitely more experience than me, and as a result I found myself in a completely new situation where I was struggling to keep up with what I was learning rather than being the one doing the coaxing, the supporting and the teaching.

When I succeeded in fluffing the same set of Foxtrot steps twice in a row, it led to an almighty angry outburst from my partner. “It isn’t like that!” he literally shouted at me. “You’re not doing the right steps!” And with that, he walked away.

I am not averse to being corrected if I am wrong, but there were a million things wrong with the way he approached this situation. Here are five simple steps that would have helped him to provide clear and constructive feedback:

Plan – have a clear idea of what topic(s) you need to discuss, exactly what you want to say, and most importantly of all, how you are going to say it. Make sure that you leave scope for discussion. The key is to be flexible, whilst still getting your points across. Always make sure that you give feedback whilst it is still fresh in your mind, and always make sure that you give feedback in private.

Praise – Focus on the positives first. Help the person to feel valued and a worthwhile part of the team, even though you are about to offer some feedback on what they can improve on. Feedback should not just be about negative things.

Clear constructive feedback – be clear. Be concise. You will need to tailor your approach according to the person you are speaking to. Some will prefer you to be blunt and to the point – some will prefer you to be more gentle. As a Leader or Manager, it is up to you to know your staff well enough to understand which people will require which approach. Specific details are infinitely preferable and easier to approach.

Praise again – move the focus towards solutions. Build the employee back up again by giving them the confidence that they can solve any situations that have arisen, and by showing them that they have your support to do this.

Follow up – always agree the actions that are required as a result of the meeting, and schedule another meeting with the employee to follow up on how things have gone as a result of the feedback. This is your opportunity to be able to hopefully praise the employee on how well they have handled the situation, and on the changes that have been made since the discussion.


Had my partner followed these rules, I would not have been left feeling two inches tall in front of the rest of our class, and I would probably have left with some idea of what the steps actually should have been, instead of still completely none the wiser. I may print out a copy of this blog in good time for next week … just in case!!