Good feedback taps into each person’s strengths
When an employee provides feedback to a manager - or vice versa - the goal should be to boost their confidence and motivation to learn and achieve, not to relentlessly break down their weaknesses. Exclusively focusing on the latter can create negative reactions and associations, leading to defensive walls being erected, and a fight or flight response preventing growth and improved results from being attained. Instead, applying a “sandwich approach” to providing feedback, in which points for improvement are “sandwiched” between successes, is a surefire way to empower the person on the other side of the conversation to pick themselves up and try to do better.
A good feedback process also includes asking questions. Rather than telling someone what they’re doing wrong and how they can improve, inquire about how they feel about their processes and performance. Ask them questions that motivate introspection, so that together, you can come up with multiple potential solutions and A/B test them to obtain an optimal result.