By: Liz Kislik

Liz Kislik — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:12:25 +0000

Matt, you’re so right that the whole area of feedback or “constructive criticism” is challenging and often quite threatening — whatever side of the desk one happens to be on. Even people of good will misunderstand each other all the time. Part of the difficulty is that the giver doesn’t have the receiver’s vantage point, so there will always be different perceptions of the situation. There’s value to building up a sort of credit balance of positive interaction over time so that when feedback is given — even if it’s about “development” instead of “mistakes” — there’s a bit of cushion available to mitigate any negative reactions. Thanks so much for your introspective comment.

By: Matt O'Grady

Matt O'Grady — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:52:01 +0000

Liz, I think this post elucidates some of just how difficult this process can be. I can remember being in my boss’ office for the ‘annual review’, realizing this is the first time we have been in her office with the door shut, and the whole conversation was focused on my performance. As a young professional this was a daunting task to say the least. Finding ways to communicate with our boss or now that I am the ‘boss’ and finding structured ways to communicate with the people who work with me to discuss their performance can also be challenging. I have chosen to do my best, all throughout the year, to communicate often about what they do well, and what areas of development are important to focus on. I and it are certainly very much still a work in progress, however, posts like this really help me think through strategies that could be helpful to my professional communication. Thanks for the knowledge!

Comments on: Speaking Truth to Power, Part V: When You’re Ready to Lay It on the Line

By: Liz Kislik

By: Matt O'Grady