How to Give Negative Feedback to Improve Performance

Managers: How to Give Negative Feedback That Improves Performance
Giving negative feedback is one of the most challenging responsibilities of being a manager — especially for new managers. Yet avoiding difficult conversations rarely solves the problem. When delivered with clarity, respect, and genuine intent to help, constructive feedback:

• Strengthens trust.
• Increases accountability.
• Improves performance.

The goal is not to criticize people. The goal is to help them succeed in your unique environment.

Why So Many Managers Avoid Giving Negative Feedback
Our organizational culture assessments and action learning leadership development programs consistently show that many managers hesitate to address performance issues even when they know they should. They worry that employees will:

• Become angry or defensive
• Feel blindsided
• Shut down emotionally
• Lose confidence
• Become disengaged
• Avoid responsibility
• Dismiss the feedback
• Resist future risks or challenges

Ironically, avoiding the conversation often creates the very outcomes managers hope to prevent. Small issues become larger problems, expectations become less clear, and performance continues to decline.

People manager assessment center data confirms that employees perform better when they receive meaningful feedback on a regular basis, especially when it is focused on growth rather than criticism.

The Purpose of Feedback at Work
We believe the purpose of feedback at work is to help improve levels of employee engagement and performance. We know from project postmortem data that the key to delivering negative performance feedback as a new manger is to provide a psychologically safe environment and to ensure the recipient understands that you, as their manager, want to help them succeed. It’s not the content so much as the intent.

How to Give Negative Feedback That Improves Performance

1. Start with the Right Mindset
   Before saying anything, check your own emotions.

   If you’re frustrated, angry, or disappointed, wait until you can approach the conversation objectively. Feedback delivered emotionally often feels like criticism rather than coaching.

   Remember, the discussion is not about proving you’re right. It is about helping someone perform better tomorrow than they did today.

   Ask yourself:  Am I genuinely trying to help this person succeed?

2. Ask Permission
   Rather than launching into criticism, create space for a productive conversation.

   A simple question such as:  “Can I share some feedback about this morning’s client meeting?” gives the employee a moment to prepare mentally and signals respect.

   That small step often reduces defensiveness and creates a more collaborative discussion.

3. Clarify Your Purpose
   Be explicit about why you’re having the conversation.

   For example:

   “I want to share an observation because I think it will help you be even more successful in future meetings.”

   When employees understand your purpose is development — not judgment — they are much more likely to listen openly.

4. Focus on Observable Behaviors
   Describe what you saw rather than making assumptions about motives or character.

   Instead of saying:  “You weren’t prepared.”

   Try:  “When the client asked about implementation timelines, we didn’t have the information available.”

   Specific observations are easier to understand, discuss, and improve than vague opinions.

5. Work Together on Next Steps
   Feedback should not end with identifying the problem.

   Discuss what success looks like moving forward and agree on one or two concrete actions the employee can take. Ending with a clear plan turns feedback into improvement.

How to Receive Negative Feedback More Effectively
Managers also benefit from learning how to receive difficult feedback.

• Stay Curious
  Assume there is something valuable to learn, even if the delivery is imperfect.  Separate the feedback from your self-worth. Performance can improve without defining who you are.
• Ask Clarifying Questions
  If feedback is too general, ask for examples.  Three simple questions can help to transform criticism into practical coaching:

  — “Can you give me a specific example?”
  — “What would success have looked like?”
  — “What should I do differently next time?”

The Bottom Line
The best managers do not avoid difficult conversations — they improve how they have them. Research consistently shows that timely, specific, and supportive feedback increases learning, accountability, and performance. When employees understand that your goal is their success, even negative feedback becomes an opportunity to build trust, strengthen relationships, and improve results. Just as importantly, ask your own team for feedback on your effectiveness as a manager. Leaders who model openness to feedback create cultures where continuous improvement becomes the norm.

The ability to give negative feedback is part of being an effective manager.  To discover the four metrics that distinguish high-performing managers from the rest, download The 4 Management Metrics Every Leader Should Track

by Tristam Brown: CEO

Tristam Brown is an executive business consultant and organizational development expert with more than three decades of experience helping organizations accelerate performance, build high-impact teams, and turn strategy into execution. As CEO of LSA Global, he works with leaders to get and stay aligned™ through research-backed strategy, culture, and talent solutions that produce measurable, business-critical results. See full bio.