- Work to a clear structure. The meeting should be planned to
cover all the points identified during preparation. - Create the right atmosphere. A successful meeting depends on
creating an informal environment in which a full, frank but
friendly exchange of views can take place. It is best to start
with a fairly general discussion before getting into any
detail. - Provide good feedback. Individuals need to know how they are
getting on. Feedback needs to based on factual evidence and
careful thought should be given to what is said and how it is
said so that it motivates rather than demotivates people. The
following are guidelines on providing feedback:
■ build feedback into the job – to be effective feedback
should be built into the job or provided soon after the
activity has taken place;
■ provide feedback on actual events or observed behaviour- it should be related to specific items of behaviour and
backed up by evidence;
■ describe, don’t judge - the feedback should be presented
as a description of what has happened, it should not be
accompanied by a judgement.
■ ask questions rather than make statements;
■ select key issues and restrict yourself to them – there is a
limit to how much criticism anyone can take;
■ focus on aspects of performance the individual can
improve. It is a waste of time to concentrate on areas
which the individual can do little or nothing about;
■ provide positive feedback on the things that the indi-
vidual did well in addition to areas for improvement.
- Let individuals do most of the talking. This enables them to get
things off their chest and helps them to feel that they are
getting a fair hearing. Use open-ended questions (ie ques-
tions that invite the individual to think about what to reply
rather than indicating the expected answer). This is to
encourage people to expand. - Use praise. If possible, managers should begin with praise for
some specific achievement, but this should be sincere and
deserved. Praise helps people to relax – everyone needs
encouragement and appreciation. - Invite self-assessment. This is to see how things look from the
170 How to be an Even Better Manager