Reframe it as Advice or Guidance

If the word Feedback sounds loaded and negative by default, we can reframe it by calling it a less critical name like guidance or advice.

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Step-by-Step: How to Give and Receive Feedback at Work

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No matter what we do or how well we do it, some criticism is eventually going to come our way. And those moments are often some of the toughest we all face in work and life.

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Negativity bias and feedback

Receiving criticism will always have a greater impact than receiving praise.

And we remember criticism strongly but inaccurately. But although criticism is more lik...

Criteria for effective feedback

The feedback provider is credible in the eyes of the feedback recipient;
The feedback provider is trusted by the feedback recipient;
The feedback is conveyed with good intentions;
The timing and circumstances of giving the feedback are appropriate;
The feedback is given in an interactive manner;
The feedback message is clear;
The feedback is helpful to recipient.

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How to Give Constructive Criticism: 6 Helpful Tips | Personal Excellence

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Have feedback but you are not sure how to put it across? Here are 6 helpful tips to provide constructive criticism that's tactful and helpful at the same time. Tip 1) Use the Feedback Sandwich. Tip 2) Focus on the situation, not the person. Tip 3) Be specific with your feedback.

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3. Be Specific With Your Feedback

The more specific your feedback, the more actionable it is for the one receiving it. Example: Asking for an article on communication is vague while asking for one on public speaking is speci...

4. Comment On Actionable Things

To help people improve talk about things they can do something about, rather than those out of their control. Critiquing the former makes your criticism constructive; critiquing the latter makes the person feel bad as they can’t do anything about it, even if they want to.

Understand the person’s situation and his/her objectives, then provide your critique based on that. And if you need to talk about something out of their control, balance it out by talking about things they can control.

5. Give Improvement Recommendations

Give recommendations on what the person can do to improve so they have a clear idea of what you have in mind and get a strong call-to-action.

With your recommendations, (a) be specific with your suggestions and (b) briefly explain the rationale behind the recommendation. Also, try to limit examples to one per point to make your case more impactful.

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The Six Qualities of Good Feedback

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No matter what you do for a living, at some point or another you're going to have to communicate how you feel about someone else's work. On the surface, giving feedback may sound easy.

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Negative vs. Positive Feedback

Positive feedback isn’t the best way to drive results and negative feedback isn’t actually all that bad:

Any negative feedback should be clear and timely yet not so harsh as to be pe...

For feedback to be effective...

Be Specific;
Be Immediate: you wait too long, it can have less impact and make it harder for the person to grasp exactly what needs changing;
Tie Feedback to Goals: it gives the receiver a clear goal to work towards and reason why you’ve given them this feedback;
Ensure Feedback Is Actionable;
Use the Right Language;
Don't avoid it: when feedback is given openly and honestly, it can be extremely valuable for your organization.

Plussing

Is a way to provide feedback and critique without creating fear or negative feelings, branded by the animation studio Pixar.

Imagine an art director giving feedback to an animator on some sketches for Pixar’s next blockbuster movie and instead of saying something like “but the characters expression is all wrong,” they’ll frame it using more encouraging and creative words like and or what if: “what if we could make their expression more (enthusiastic, brazen, etc).”