Today, I had to give tough feedback to a team member who’s not only well-liked but usually a strong performer. It wasn’t easy—I knew they’d take it hard, and honestly, I didn’t sleep well the night before. I prepped by sticking to specifics, framing it as a growth opportunity, and leaving space for their perspective. Even so, the conversation felt tense, and I left wondering if I’d handled it the best way. For those of you who’ve been in this position, how do you prepare for giving negative feedback, especially when you know it might not be well received? What’s worked for you?

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If they’re well liked and a strong performer, was the feedback necessary?

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It's a bit vague without explaining why this high performer needed feedback, but it sounds like you may have made it a bigger deal than it needed to be. If this is a solid, capable person, then why not a simple "hey before you submit the weekly reports, can you double check X?" Telling someone who is already an impressive employee that one issue is a "growth opportunity" feels a touch condescending.

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Giving negative feedback is never easy. I would say I try to make sure to point out the areas that they are strong in too, but give solid examples of the bad too so there isn’t any miscommunication. Nobody wants to be told they are doing something wrong, it really can be a good learning opportunity though to improve.

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