Happy Friday Watchers!
I learned a tough lesson this week.
When you provide feedback to one of your direct reports, make sure you can provide specifics.
If you can’t, then you don’t have enough information yet or your feedback is invalid.
I gave some critical feedback to a team member this week, and when she asked for specifics I had to admit I didn’t have any. As I thought about it I realized I had likely misread the situation and my feedback was off base.
I apologized and laid out a plan for what I would focus on instead. But at that point I had already damaged the trust I have with them, and made their day a little worse.
The tricky part about management is you have to practice to get better, but the only way to practice is with real people.
Best from Charleston ✌️
Andrew