Remember, your credibility is on the line Giving feedback that is off-base, unfair, unbalanced, or factually wrong undermines a manager's credibility. On the other hand, employees come to trust and value managers who provide regular feedback that is thoughtful, balanced, and true. Managers who take the time to be thorough, sensitive, and instructive earn reputations as the best managers, and they are often looked to as mentors. Stop and reflect Employees use a manager's performance evaluation to measure what they are doing right (and should continue doing) and what they are doing wrong (and need to improve). Before evaluating employee performance, consider what you are about to say, question your assumptions, double-check the facts, and be sure that you are about to move the employee in the right direction. Balance praise and criticism Give feedback when things are going well, not just when things are going wrong. When you have constructive criticism to offer, make it brief and stay focused on the performance instead of the person. But also ask yourself if this employee needs feedback on any recent success that may have gone unrecognized. Refine your message and rehearse Take the time to prepare the right words for your feedback. If the feedback is to be given in written form, write a first draft. If the feedback is to be given verbally, say it over to yourself at least twice before saying it to the person receiving your feedback (consider writing yourself a "script").

The Top Five Causes of Inaccurate Feedback
1) The manager doesn't take enough time to prepare before the feedback.
2) The manager rushes through the actual delivery of the feedback.
3) The subject matter of the feedback is emotionally charged.
4) The manager focuses disproportionately on the negative because he or she only gives feedback when there is a problem.
5) The manager bases feedback on information from unreliable sources.

- By Bruce Tulgan