How to Provide Constructive Feedback to Your Manager

After receiving 10,538 pieces of publicly available, real-time feedback in my decade at Bridgewater, I learned a lot of hard lessons about personal development. Avoiding this one mistake when giving feedback tops my list: Assuming you know Why... - You can't read minds - You put them on defense - You often favor your biases Instead, try this: When you ___. -> This is what the camera saw. Only facts. I experienced ___. -> This is where your POV comes in. Which resulted in ___. -> Tie this to team outcomes. 💡Here's an example: When you...reviewed the proposal with the client I experienced...you dismissing their concerns Which resulted in...us losing the deal. ✅ Why this works: - It leaves open the possibility you were wrong - It doesn't propose any motive - It is clear and focused ❌ How you can mess it up: - Surround it with fake compliments and caveats - Offer more feedback before resolving - Add "Because you___" to the end We're doing a free 30-minute lesson to help managers confidently navigate 3 critical conversations: - Your team is underperforming - Your boss is unengaged - Your peer is unhelpful Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eyNv239g And if you found this post insightful: - Please follow me 🔔 for more Dave Kline - And share ♻️ with your community by reposting

As an EY Partner, I gave feedback to thousands. Master the art of feedback - skyrocket your leadership: Bad feedback creates confusion. Good feedback sparks growth. Use the CSS (Clear, Specific, Supportive) framework to make your feedback land without friction. No more awkward silences or sugarcoating disasters: 1. Give positive feedback that actually feels valuable. ❌ Don’t say: “Great job!” ✅ Instead say: “Hey [Name], I really liked how you [specific action]. It made a real impact on [outcome]. Keep doing this—it’s a game-changer.” Why it matters: → Reinforces what actually works 2 Address underperformance without demotivating. ❌ Don’t say: “You need to improve.” ✅ Instead say: “I appreciate your effort on [project]. One area to refine is [specific issue]. A great way to improve would be [solution or resource]. Let’s check in next [timeframe] to see how it’s going.” Why it works: → Pinpoints the issue without personal criticism 3. Redirect someone without crushing their confidence. ❌ Don’t say: “This isn’t what I wanted.” ✅ Instead say: “I see where you were going with [work]. One way to make it even stronger is [specific suggestion]. What do you think about this approach?” Why it works: → Keeps feedback constructive, not critical 4. Push back on an idea (without sounding like a jerk). ❌ Don’t say: “I don’t think this will work.” ✅ Instead say: “I see the thinking behind [idea]. One challenge I foresee is [issue]. Have you considered [alternative approach]? Let’s explore what works best.” Why it works: → Keeps it a discussion, not a shutdown 5. Handle conflict without escalating it. ❌ Don’t say: “You’re wrong.” ✅ Instead say: “I see it differently—here’s why. Can we walk through both perspectives and find common ground?” Why it works: → Creates space for solutions, not arguments 6. Help someone level up their leadership. ❌ Don’t say: “You need to be more of a leader.” ✅ Instead say: “I see a lot of leadership potential in you. One way to step up is by [specific behavior]. I’d love to support you in growing here—what do you think?” Why it works: → Focuses on potential, not deficits 7. Coach someone who is struggling. ❌ Don’t say: “You need to step up.” ✅ Instead say: “I’ve noticed [specific challenge]. What’s getting in the way? Let’s find a way to make this easier for you.” Why it works: → Focuses on support, not blame 8. Give feedback to a peer without sounding like a boss. ❌ Don’t say: “You should have done it this way.” ✅ Instead say: “I had a thought—what if we tried [alternative]? I think it could help with [goal]. What do you think?” Why it works: → Encourages shared ownership of improvement 9. Close feedback on a high note. ❌ Don’t say: “Just fix it.” ✅ Instead say: “I appreciate the work you put in. With these adjustments, I know it’ll be even better. Looking forward to seeing how it evolves!” Why it works: → Ends on a motivating note — ♻️ Repost it to help others grow.

Early in my leadership career, I made a mistake—I gave feedback without examples. I thought I was being helpful, but in reality, I was just leaving my team confused. I’d say things like: ❌ "Be more strategic." ❌ "You need to collaborate more." ❌ "Engage executives meaningfully." ❌ "You have to think about business impact." ❌ "Your customer conversations need to be more valuable." What does that even mean?! How could anyone act on that? I quickly learned that feedback without examples isn’t feedback—it’s just an opinion. And opinions don’t drive change. So, I fixed my approach: ✅ Document Examples – I started capturing specific behaviors instead of making vague statements. ✅ Give Feedback in Real Time – No more waiting for 1:1s. If something needed to be addressed, I did it ASAP. ✅ Provide Context – I made sure they understood why something mattered before diving into what needed to change. ✅ Offer Alternatives – Instead of just pointing out the issue, I shared what they could’ve done differently. ✅ Ask for Their Input – I checked that my feedback was clear and gave them space to share their perspective. ✅ Recognize Progress – When I saw them shift behaviors, I acknowledged it. Positive reinforcement matters! This small but critical shift made a massive impact—not just on individual growth, but on team performance overall. 💡 Before giving feedback, ask yourself: Will this actually help them improve, or am I just venting? How do you approach constructive feedback with your team? _________________ 📣 If you liked my post, you’ll love my newsletter. Every week I share learnings, advice and strategies from my experience going from CSM to CCO. Join 12k+ subscribers of The Journey and turn insights into action. Sign up on my profile.