The beginning of the year is synonymous with reflecting on the past, identifying new resolutions and, ahem, performance reviews. And while you tried your best this year to give spot feedback and accolades when due, you find yourself in the position of having to give difficult feedback to an employee.
On top of this, your direct report is incredibly hard on themself and defensive when approached with critique of their performance. But you, as the manager, know you need to have this conversation to maintain an honest and open relationship, and spur them on to greater heights. Preparing for a tough conversation can be overwhelming, even for a seasoned manager. This time, turn what could be a difficult conversation into a fruitful dialogue by exploring their viewpoint and bringing a flexible goal to the table.
One of the pitfalls of giving feedback is that many managers prepare for these conversations in isolation, and those who call on peers for support can’t guarantee