One often reads that people are a business’s biggest asset. While it has become somewhat of a business cliché, it remains the truth because every organisation is 100% dependent on the performance of its teams, across multiple functions and levels.
The responsibility lies with leaders to develop high performing teams, made up of high-performing individuals. In other words, the best organisations have leaders that foster a culture of excellence.
A winning culture cannot be achieved without constructive criticism and discipline. Not so much a science, balancing constructive criticism with discipline is an art that requires a delicate balance act. When executed with empathy and care, it can unlock fountains of potential in teams and individuals.
Any leader will know that it is not easy. Leaders face multifaceted challenges when providing effective feedback to their teams, and navigating these challenges requires a deep appreciation of human dynamics, emotional intelligence and the nuances of communication.
Here are a few successful strategies:
Harness conflict resolution as an opportunity
Organisations, by their very nature, bring different people into the same space and this means that some conflict is inevitable.
Causes of conflict vary, but often it stems from lack of accountability, different opinions and behavioural challenges.
This creates difficult situations to navigate, but rather than only focusing on the problem, leaders would do well to see conflict resolution as an opportunity to strengthen teams.
By tackling conflict head on, leaders can be proactive and constructive. Leaving the situation to fester can lead to a culture of negativity that can permeate across the organisation. Successful conflict resolution, on the other hand, often leads to diverse ideas and innovative thinking.
Build a culture of respect and harmony
It is critical to establish a safe environment for feedback. Leaders should consider starting meetings by clearly establishing ground rules that encourage open communication and respect for diverse opinions.
This strategy helps team members, especially newer employees or those who are navigating difficult situations, to feel comfortable enough to voice their opinions without fear of victimisation.
Effective leaders emphasise the importance of building trust and rapport among teams. Without this, the opportunities for engaging in honest dialogue are limited.
It is important to create an environment where team members, no matter where they are in the business hierarchy, feel empowered to bring concerns directly to their managers.
This type of environment is paramount because when it comes to criticism and discipline, which by their very nature invoke different emotional responses in different people, a leader has more ability to engage effectively with individuals.
Empathy and emotional intelligence go a long way when sitting opposite someone who is receiving criticism.
Strike while the iron is hot
It is of paramount importance to provide feedback as soon as possible, rather than allowing issues to linger and grow into something bigger. Even if the feedback is difficult to deliver, effective leaders manage challenges proactively.
Through experience, they learn how to strike the right balance between autonomy and support, which ensures team members feel empowered to take ownership of their performance while also receiving the right guidance and support they need to succeed.
Tailor communication to the audience
Different personality types and generations communicate and respond to criticism differently. This means it is important for leaders to adapt how they communicate accordingly.
This exercise requires subtlety. For example, for some team members a full-stop is a full-stop. Others may interpret a full-stop after “thanks” as abrupt or even aggressive, even if it was not intended that way.
Picking up, and adapting to, these nuances is far easier when a leader leads with empathy and understanding, rather than just focusing on the facts.
Celebrate success
Recognise and celebrate successes, even the small ones. This is a proven way to not only encourage more of the same and energise motivation levels in individual employees, but it also motivates other team members.
However, ensure that any praise that is given is meaningful and tied to specific achievements, or else the exercise risks becoming a tad generic and overused.
Track, measure and provide ongoing support
It is a good strategy to schedule regular check-ins with team members to assess their progress and to provide additional support. It is not enough to simply deliver constructive feedback and then move on. It is important for leaders to follow up to ensure that the team member is making the necessary improvements.
This is important to ensure individual growth as well as to instill a sense of accountability within employees.
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach as different employees respond differently to feedback, and so leaders need to adjust their approach to get the best out of individuals.
The art of constructive criticism and discipline
While it likely can never be mastered, striving to master the art of critical feedback and discipline is instrumental to building high-performing teams.
Leaders who work towards understanding the nuances of effective feedback, tailoring communication with different personalities and generations, creating a safe environment for open communication, balancing criticism with praise and maintaining regular contact with individuals goes a long way towards building a culture of excellence.
While personal accountability underpins all success, empathetic leaders tend to unlock the most potential in their employees.
