It’s never easy to give critical feedback. Constructive feedback can help your whole team perform better - but only if they’re willing to accept and work on it. How can you make that happen? Use the Context - Observation - Impact - Next (C.O.I.N) formula.
This formula can make both positive and negative feedback more impactful, but since giving critical feedback is harder, we’ll focus on that.
Context: Name the problem behaviour and a specific time it happened - don’t make it general.
Observation: Describe their actions objectively - again, don’t make it about them as a person.
Impact: Help them see why the behaviour is an issue by explaining its impact on the group.
Next: Offer suggestions for what they could do differently next time.
How you say it is as important as what you say - here are some tips for choosing your language.
Instead of statements or questions, offer suggestions
Strong statement: I think the sandwiches were soggy.
Question: Do you think there was an issue with the sandwiches?
Suggestion: I would suggest a few changes to the sandwiches next time.
Avoid “BUT”
Saying, ‘You did a good job, but…’ can put people on the defensive. Try this instead: “First of all, the cupcakes were delicious. Well done. Secondly, about the sandwiches…’
Use the past tense
Again, using the present tense (‘There’s an issue with your sandwiches’) makes it sound like a general comment on them as a person. Name a specific time when the issue happened.
Use verbs, not adjectives
‘You were rude (adjective) to a client yesterday’ is vague. ‘You shouted (verb) at a client’ makes the problem clear. Use the C.O.I.N model so they know why that was a problem.
Use friendly body language
No raised voices, crossed arms, or frowns - use open body language and a friendly tone.
In brief
While giving constructive feedback can be daunting, if you remember the C.O.I.N formula, you can be sure you're giving supportive, actionable feedback that will help your team members improve their performance.