One of the most important and satisfying tasks I found as a manager is to provide good feedback to your employees. For those who are already solid performers, an insightful feedback can help align and propel them further toward both their goals and the organization’s vision. For those that are under-performed, feedbacks are key to ensure that expectations are understood and necessary guidance is provided. Good feedbacks is a win-win for the employees and the company.

I do have to admit – writing good feedbacks didn’t come easy for me. In fact, it was one of the most dreaded tasks when I first became a manager many years back.  I still remembered myself pulling multiple near all-nighters to write, revise, and re-revise the employee mid-year and annual reviews.  

“Did I miss any key contributions from this person?” 

“He’s a star performer, what else could I provide besides praises as he truly deserved them?” 

“He was having a hard time delivering results. Did he know? Did he care? What could I say or do that could help?” 

“What if he doesn’t agree with my comments?” 

“Do I know enough about him/her?”

and on and on of all kinds of stressful thoughts and self doubts.

Over the years though, I found it easier and easier, and giving feedbacks had become one of my most treasured tasks at work. The trick? COPT – Care, Observe, be Prompt, and Track.   Caring is probably the most important catalyst here. You need to care about the organization’s mission, your team’s goals, and the overall development and well being of your direct reports or members in your team.  Once you care, be an acute observer throughout your daily work to further your people or situational understanding and to discover possibilities or opportunities. While everything is still fresh in mind,  promptly share your feedback with the employees in an 1-on-1 meeting. Last but not least, keeping track of the key topics or outcomes of such feedback can help facilitate future discussion or reviews.

The COPT cycle continues and you’ll find giving meaningful and constructive feedbacks a breeze.