4 Hints for Giving Feedback to Manager

1️⃣ Prepare Yourself

Gather objective arguments and valid facts about why your manager’s decision was wrong.
Forget about “always”, “never”, and “often”. These words generalize. Be specific. Be factual and express what you see.

2️⃣ Initiate a 1:1 Meeting With Your Manager

Give negative feedback privately. If you do it in front of other team members, you’re risking activating your boss’s defense barriers.

3️⃣ Don’t Focus On Their Mistake

Let the conversation be about the solution of the problem – share ideas on how to better the situation.

4️⃣ Use I-Statements

Beware of the word “you”. People get defensive quite easily when they are the center of negative attention. If possible – introduce the problem from your point of view. The person will feel less blamed.

1 Bonus Hint

A good approach would be to put your manager in the role of your advisor – ask for their advice.

Example:
“I have a problem with…”
“It’s difficult for me to…”
“Tell me how to approach this. What would you do in this situation?”

Implement their advice. If the solution doesn’t work, your manager will acknowledge their mistake and they will realize the problem themselves.

Get actionable approaches for giving feedback by playing with real-life scenarios from tech companies – Giving Feedback Pill.