Here's how you can offer constructive feedback to your team in Strategic Communications.

You can use the "Sandwich" Approach. Start with positive feedback, provide constructive criticism, and then end on a positive note. This helps maintain morale while addressing areas of improvement. For example, I liked how you structured the report, but the data visualization could be more aligned with the messaging. Overall, it was a great effort, and I see a lot of potential in your approach.

Since the mid-2000s, I’ve been lucky enough to lead some incredible global teams. Investing in giving and receiving constructive feedback is a humbling and rewarding experience, which is the basis for growing, motivating and focusing impactful teams. What I’ve discovered is that establishing clear expectations at the outset is an important precursor to providing feedback. With aligned goals and objectives, the bar is set for driving empowered team performance. Giving balanced feedback — covering what’s working well (why?) as well as what could be improved (how?) — is vital. Critically, making time to openly discuss feedback supercharges a team. Good leaders also ask their team for regular feedback: “how can I serve you better?”

It starts with a reminder: there’s another human being in front of us. The word "feedback" carries a negative connotation, one associated with someone who promises constructive criticism but delivers projections and perceived shortcomings instead. Having been on the receiving end of this, I try avoiding the word. Instead, I focus on discussing outcomes, exploring alternative pathways, and identifying possibilities for growth. Differentiation—separating oneself from one’s work—is a challenging process for all, and emotions are part of the equation. Expecting someone to receive difficult news with a smile and a thank you is a tall order. The way to go is being empathic and having a desire to help others grow, not just to point out flaws.

Offering constructive feedback in Strategic Communications involves starting with positive recognition, clearly identifying areas for improvement, and providing actionable suggestions. It’s also important to encourage open dialogue and be supportive, ensuring that the feedback leads to collaborative growth and better results.

Als geborene Österreicherin liegt uns die Diplomatie im Blut, doch gerade im Business sind klare Aussagen entscheidend. Diese sorgen für Transparenz und erleichtern das Erreichen von Zielen. Manchmal bewährt sich das Altbekannte, und die Anwendung der SMART-Formel – spezifisch, messbar, erreichbar, realistisch und termingebunden – auch in Präsentationen, trägt wesentlich zur Effizienz in der Teamarbeit bei. Klare, zielgerichtete Kommunikation ist der Schlüssel, um Projekte erfolgreich voranzutreiben und Missverständnisse zu vermeiden. So bleibt Diplomatie nützlich, ohne die Klarheit zu verlieren.

Whenever you share feedback, try to highlight the before and after. Feedback must be logical and presented in a way that the other person understands. I am a big time advocate of sharing the 'Big Picture'. If you can share how the incorporated change would be beneficial in the long term, you let people be a part of the success journey. So make sure your feedback has the following: 1) The connection to the larger goal 2) Pros and Cons 3) Before and After Hope this helps. All the best 👍🏽

Una utilidad que le encontrado a la planificación de equipo es poder estar claros en el mensaje que vamos a brindar, así evitamos estar confundidos e inseguros de lo que hacemos y decimos, evitando decir por ejemplo Te toca hacer esto, cuando podemos decir su colaboración va ser la siguiente creando un aporte significativo a empoderarnos del proyecto, es una obligación y responsabilidad pero no se debe sentir como un mandato, siento que las cosas fluyen de mejor manera,

En la comunicación interna, aplico la especificidad ofreciendo feedback claro y detallado. Por ejemplo, en vez de decir "Tu informe necesita mejorar", indico "Añade gráficos para ilustrar mejor los datos y resume las conclusiones en puntos clave." Proporciono directrices concretas, como "Organiza la presentación en tres secciones principales para mayor claridad." Además, ofrezco recursos útiles, como plantillas y cursos de formación. Esto ayuda al equipo a entender exactamente qué mejorar y cómo hacerlo, facilitando una implementación efectiva y precisa de las sugerencias.

Vague feedback can leave your team confused and unsure of how to improve. In my strategic communications classes, we emphasized the importance of clarity. I apply this by focusing on specific instances when giving feedback. For example, instead of saying, "Your report needs work,” I would say, “The data analysis section of your report was unclear because it lacked supporting visuals. Including graphs could make it easier to understand."

Timing is everything when it comes to feedback. Providing feedback immediately after an issue arises allows for quicker adjustments and ensures that the context is still fresh in everyone's minds. During a group project in school, I learned that delaying feedback can lead to compounded errors and missed opportunities for correction. Hence, I always aim to offer feedback as soon as possible, especially when it’s tied to time-sensitive tasks.

Considero que en la realidad la retroalimentación es parte fundamental del proceso de construcción, por lo que es mas efectiva cuando se hace de manera oportuna lo que nos permite no solo crecer sino corregir, lo que nos permite avanzar y no atrasar. Para mi opinion trabajar en equipo es tener todos la vision clara para así todos ir en un mismo camino donde los aporte son fundamentales y donde las personas se sientan libres de expresar sus opiniones y comentarios de construcción que son parte de esta retroalimentación.

La retroalimentación es más efectiva cuando se proporciona de manera oportuna. Al ofrecer feedback justo después de un evento específico, como el lanzamiento de una campaña, los detalles están frescos y se facilita la conexión entre las acciones y el feedback. Esto ayuda a realizar mejoras inmediatas en las estrategias. Por ejemplo, después de presentar ideas en una reunión de marketing, ofrecer retroalimentación de inmediato permite ajustar estrategias y acciones con base en la información más reciente, mejorando la efectividad y la implementación de cambios.

La retroalimentación es parte fundamental durante el desarrollo de la implementación de procesos. Es necesario considerar el timing, por ejemplo luego de eventos o acciones específicas, pero también es oportuno crear espacios semanales de encuentro para marcar la brújula de los procesos y ejecutar acciones nuevas en caso en desvíos.

Ter uma boa noção do tempo em que você dará seu feedback é essencial. Exemplo: Acabamos de apresentar o projeto, se passam 30 dias e então você finalmente dá seu feedback. Há uma grande chance de, com isso, você passar uma ideia errada sobre o que você pensa. O tempo tornou esse feedback permissivo, frouxo, agora fica muito mais difícil contrapor as perspectivas. Seja rápido no retorno a sua equipe.

I’ve found that feedback works best when it’s built into the creative process itself. That’s why I make it a point to structure our team’s workflow to encourage open dialogue at every stage. This approach does two things. First, it normalizes feedback, so it becomes just how we operate, which helps me ensure we’re always cultivating a positive and collaborative culture. Second, it sharpens our ability to keep improving and refining our ideas. By making feedback a regular part of the process, we keep our thinking fresh and innovative, which ultimately leads to better results for our clients. It’s about constantly pushing the envelope and staying ahead of the curve as a team.

If you are going to introduce a team feedback loop, please do not make this a digital process. Relying solely on digital feedback loops for team communication can have drawbacks. It can feel impersonal, reducing emotional connection and trust; messages might be easily misunderstood without non-verbal cues, leading to confusion and conflicts. Team members might be less engaged compared to face-to-face interactions, impacting the effectiveness of the feedback. And the biggest issue is the delays in response. It essentially becomes another low-priority task. So if you are going to introduce the Andy Grove, High Output Management feedback method, just be mindful of this.

It’s Pivotal to understand that Instead of just pointing out flaws, explain how the person's actions impact the overall strategy and offer guidance on how to contribute more effectively. This helps to foster a productive two-way dialogue, focus on specific behaviors and offer concrete examples rather than general statements. Additionally, suggesting alternative approaches or solutions can demonstrate your commitment to helping the individual improve. By encouraging open discussion and actively listening to their perspective, you can create a collaborative environment where both parties feel valued and respected. Always remember, it's about helping them improve, not just criticizing.

Create an environment of psychological safety. When people feel safe, they know that the feedback is coming from a good place and that it is meant to help them improve. Also, often ask for feedback yourself. This creates a culture of dialogue making the feedback process easier to navigate.

Feedback is a two way street. I can offer feedback to fine tune areas of improvement, but one should be open to receive the same. The question here is: “How can I help you improve?”.

Whenever something goes wrong within my team, I love to focus on the solutions instead of what went wrong. These talks mostly follow this structure: - Highlight what I think went well - Ask them what THEY think went well or wrong - Discuss how they felt during the task and what we can improve next time - Agree on what to set up to make it all run smoother for everyone My team members are trustworthy experts who I can rely on not to repeat any given error. However, if you are faced with bad will or incompetence, this solution won't work as efficiently, and you'll need other strategies. So, as always with strategic communication, the best solution depends on the situation.

Constructive feedback isn't just about identifying problems; it's about guiding your team toward solutions. I always make it a point to suggest actionable steps that team members can take to improve. For instance, if someone’s presentation lacks engagement, I might suggest, "Next time, try incorporating more interactive elements, like Q&A sessions or visual aids, to keep the audience involved."

Whenever we discuss a problem we must be able to provide possible solutions or improvements, giving our interlocutors the opportunity to choose and reason about possible solutions, and demonstrating that our interest is really only in improving the work/business rather than in identifying who may have committed or created the problem.

Estoy de acuerdo con esta idea. No solo identificar áreas de mejora, sino también ofrecer soluciones y recursos prácticos es crucial para el desarrollo efectivo del equipo. Proporcionar herramientas y oportunidades de capacitación demuestra un compromiso con el crecimiento de los miembros del equipo y les ayuda a superar sus debilidades de manera constructiva. Por ejemplo, si alguien lucha con la comunicación pública, recomendar talleres o sesiones de mentoría puede ser más útil que simplemente señalar el problema. Esto fomenta un entorno de aprendizaje y mejora continua, fortaleciendo al equipo en su conjunto.

Remind your team that you're all in it together--if they feel like they can contribute to the overall success of the team, everyone wins. As the great Benjamin Zander (The Art of Possibility) points out, an orchestra conductor doesn't play a single note--she or he depends on the talent and expertise of the players to make the performance a success.

Also be open to going in a different direction if the guidance you offered doesn't seem to be working. It can be very powerful to admit that there might be a better way.

One thing I have found helpful is to schedule internal dry runs for activities that may be similar. For example, if a team member is in the process of improving his/her presentation skills, encourage team feedback sessions before the next presentation. In that way, everybody will feel included and improve their skills as a collective.

Feedback can often carry a negative stigma. Applying the Agile Empirical Process—transparency, inspection, and adaptation—we can help teams relearn that feedback is a positive part of their growth journey. 1. Transparency: Make feedback a norm for the team and communicate its purpose so that individuals feel safe and empowered to engage with it. 2. Inspection: Set dedicated times to discuss feedback and collaborate with individuals on actionable ideas to experiment with. 3. Adaptation: Enable the implementation of the agreed actions in a set timeframe. 4. Repeat: Repeat these steps. By embedding follow-ups (inspections) as part of the journey, helps normalise the process, making constructive feedback second nature to the organisation.

1. Be Specific to Clearly point out what worked well and what didn’t, using concrete examples. 2. Focus on Improvement and frame feedback around growth opportunities, offering actionable suggestions. 3. Balance Positive and Negative by starting with positive feedback to acknowledge strengths, then address areas for improvement, ensuring a balanced approach. 4. Encourage Dialogue by teams to share their perspectives and ideas on how to address any issues, fostering a collaborative environment. 5. Provide feedback timely while the details are still fresh, to make it more effective and relevant. 6. Offer ongoing support and check in later to see how improvements are being implemented, reinforcing your commitment to their development.

El seguimiento de la implementación permite no solo tener la información sobre las mejoras del proceso sino que del tiempo que lleva accionar esas actualizaciones. Hay compañías más y menos dinámicas, es importante contemplar ese ritmo para que los procesos no se vuelvan obsoletos.