Ted Pollock

Few managers relish criticizing their people. Appraisal and counseling sessions frequently create hostility and often do more harm than good to the employee-manager relationship. Yet, there are times when criticism is unavoidable. And it is part of a manager's job.

To keep your criticism on target and help you get positive results from them, here are some guidelines.

•Is it really necessary? Examine your own motives before you criticize one of your people. Make sure what you are planning to say is actually intended to help the situation. It's tempting to use the authority to criticize to vent your own frustrations. Before you criticize, ask yourself whether you are dealing with a consistent behavior pattern or merely an aberration (everybody has an off day sometimes).

•Make improved performance your goal. The ultimate objective of criticism is—or ought to be—to change someone's behavior through mutual agreement and better understanding. Thus, criticism can't be a one-way session in which you simply lay it on the line; it must be a mutual exchange.To accomplish this, you must make it clear to employees that your criticism is meant to help, not hurt, them. Second, point out that mistakes are part of the learning process, and that they are more likely to benefit from mistakes if they are called to their attention. Third, emphasize that just because you are talking about weaknesses in their performance, it doesn't mean that you are oblivious to their strengths.

•Be accurate; be tactful. Avoid using such words as always, completely, never, totally. Not only are they almost certainly inaccurate in most contexts, but they will arouse justifiable resentment. You should also shun phrases like, you're guilty of, you don't seem to understand and you don't think.

•Don't criticize to excess. Even managers who dislike criticizing may find that, once they get started, they tend to overdo it. To check this tendency, try to keep your criticism simple and to the point. Raise only one major behavioral problem at a session—and no more than three smaller ones. Never try a broadside of criticism on every aspect of an individual's performance; he or she will only be confused and resentful.

•Watch your timing. Properly timed criticism can often mean the difference between success and failure. The best time to offer a critique is in the morning. Even good criticism given late in the day may touch raw nerves because of the employee's fatigue. It's also wiser to criticize early in the day because although the employee who goes back to his job may stew for a while, the routine of his work will temper his emotions.

•Don't be all negative. It's depressing and demoralizing to hear only bad things about yourself, so talk about the individual's strong points as well during your assessment of his job performance. Mention that they demonstrate his potential for improvement, but don't exaggerate; otherwise, you'll strain his credulity and your credibility.