It’s often seen that Startup employees complain about being criticized too much orthey don’t hear anything or are never ready to get even . Bosses ,according to employees never calm down and rethink their approach before proceeding.
Only few founders realize that they are not doing a great job of correcting their startup team and criticizing them too harshly creates an unwanted ripple in the pond for a longer term. We have here enlisted some of the ways to gain your ability to criticize effectively and minimize the recipient’s defensiveness.
Get your facts correct. Make sure before criticizing that you as a founder are right. Check and if required double check. Criticizing an undeserved team member would land your ball game in a fix.
Choose the best time to criticize . If the action is still fresh in the mind you may criticize right away else , if you have got time to calm down the scene, you may choose to criticize later sometime.
Choose the best place to criticize someone from your Startup team. Never in front of others especially when they are peers. An entrepreneur has to play safe. Criticizing behind closed doors is the best place in most cases.
Reject the performance, not the performer. Find success in attacking other’s behaviors and deeds, never find success in blowing away the person individually. Condemn the deed not the doer.
Always give your Startup employee an opportunity to explain anything you never knew about the situation before you criticize him/her. Sometimes asking questions may unveil something that may stop you from criticizing the employee and put your foot in your mouth.
Ask for a commitment .Always pass on your employee what you expect from them to improve their performance. Get the employee to suggest a remedy from you.
Sometimes its necessary considering who the employee is or due to the nature of the infraction , the situation calls for gentler approach and handling the scene with humor and being a bit creative in criticizing . Using humor does in no way means here being sarcastic, whereas it can take form of delivering a conditional criticism, say for demanding for a better performance.
Have a positive stroke at the close of your criticism , but see to it you never negate or downplay the criticism . A positive note followed by a constructive criticism and a commitment to take corrective action would describe how you value and appreciate your employee who has been at the receiving end of your criticism.