Effective Feedback and Constructive Criticism Training
Techniques for Clear Communication
Communicate Effectively
Learn techniques to deliver honest feedback that is specific, clear, authentic, actionable, tactful, and respectful.
Improve Performance
Build stronger relationships, drive results, and become a better communicator and more effective leader.
Overcome Obstacles
Learn how to speak clearly and tactfully, to encourage change without demoralising or demotivating others.Refine your communication skills by learning to harness your emotional intelligence with one of the UK's most acclaimed management training courses.
Why Choose This Training?
More Than Just A Course Of Lectures
What gets in the way of developing and holding on to new communication skills are old habits of thinking and speaking. Even if the advice is very good the reason why it rarely sticks are the mental habits people inevitably revert to, especially under pressure.
Unlearning those old habits and internalising a more effective and lasting approach to communication needs more than a short course of lectures on how to do it.
What Makes This Training Stand Out?
What makes this training stand out is the exceptional support through one-to-one coaching sessions and continuous feedback. Changing behaviour is not an easy task as old habits are hard to break.
With a 40-year track record we can help you cultivate practical skills, and build your confidence to so you can successfully navigate real-world challenges, ensuring lasting behavioural improvements.
Testimonials
Join thousands of participants getting results
"What I love about this course is that I didn't just learn about the topic, this course is about ME. I'm confident I can reliably use my new skills, even when under pressure".
"A lesson for life! The power of effective communication is incredible when one masters the skills "listening with empathy" and "speaking assertively"
Clients We Have Worked With
Well-known companies who have used this course again and again, over many years
Course Summary
Training Objectives
This course is designed to help you improve your ability to give and receive feedback in a positive, constructive manner. You'll develop skills such as active listening, effective communication and managing emotions, with the goal of helping you to build stronger relationships and improve your professional and personal lives through the use of feedback.
Emotional Intelligence
You will learn a set of powerful emotional intelligence communication techniques so that you can manage difficult conversations, handle challenging situations, build relationships and set firm boundaries.
Transferable Skills
The goal of this training is to equip you with the tools they need to build strong, lasting relationships in your professional life, although because these skills are so transferable many clients report vast improvements in their personal relationships as well.
Develop Skills
This is a skills development rather than just a theoretical programme, so the emphasis throughout will be on you taking turn after turn, practising your skills, while receiving feedback and coaching about your effect on others.
Repeated Practice and Feedback
In your coaching sessions you will be helped to practise dealing with the kinds of situation you find challenging, again and again, until you are confident you can do it successfully.
Video Analysis
We'll combine practical, hands-on experience with video replay and analysis and discussion of the principles involved to help you gain both skills and understanding. Special attention is paid to your individual training needs, so you can practise your skills in real-life situations that you have to handle at work.
Sustained Change
That's why as well as your place in a small group, this training includes a generous amount of private and confidential one-to-one coaching sessions online, spread over several months, ensuring an exceptional level of support. This will ensure the changes you make are sustained over a longer period of time and any obstacles are overcome. Choose between online training available worldwide, or in-person face-to-face courses in the UK.
Course Dates and Price
For a list of upcoming course dates (for online coaching and face-to-face training), the locations of the next 3-day public courses in the UK and pricing Click here.
Free Initial Session
This initial coaching session serves as an introduction to the "Skills with People" course, allowing you to understand the course's relevance and effectiveness for your specific needs before committing to it.
What Makes This Feedback Training Course So Effective?
Say What You Mean
How to give difficult feedback
... that motivates and inspires
... without making people defensive or argumentative
For more than 40 years this feedback training course on giving feedback has proven to be one of the most highly acclaimed. Over the years we've had thousands of managers and professionals through our hands. Many have said it's one of the best feedback training courses they ever attended.
Here's how we could help you ensure that your feedback is effective and results in improvements in communication, employee performance, and overall organisational success.
Topic |
Benefits of this Constructive Criticism Course |
|
Emotional intelligence |
Learn crucial communication skills: listening with empathy and speaking assertively. |
|
Training methods |
Group discussions, role-playing exercises, private coaching, and learning from peers in a supportive environment. |
|
Practice Opportunities |
Real-world application, tailored to individual and organisational needs, focusing on improving communication. |
|
Video Camera Usage |
Immediate feedback and analysis to understand personal impact on others and adjust approach accordingly. |
|
Follow-up and Support |
Several months worth of follow-up coaching sessions to ensure continuous improvement and skill application. |
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Expertise |
Led by an experienced trainer with over 4 decades of specialisation in constructive criticism and feedback training. |
Emotional intelligence
You'll learn two crucial skills for effective communication (listening with empathy and speaking assertively). We'll teach you the skills and strategies you need to deliver feedback that is specific, actionable, generous and honest.
Training methods
This not just chalk and talk. We use a variety of methods include group discussions, role-playing exercises, and private one-to-one coaching. You will have lots of opportunity to practice your new skills as you learn in a safe and supportive environment. On this constructive criticism training course you will also to learn from the other participants about the effect you are having on them, as well as getting lots of feedback from the instructor so you can quickly improve your skills.
Lots of practice
Rather than sitting passively listening to lectures you'll have plenty of opportunity to apply what they have learned in a real-world setting. A major important aspect of a this feedback training course is that it is tailored to the specific needs of the individual participants and their organisations. For example, sometimes participants are often frustrated that others in their organisation struggle with poor communication. On this course you can focus on the specific skills and strategies required to improve communication within the organisation.
Video Camera
We use a camera so you can receive immediate feedback and analysis. Once you properly understand your impact on others you'll be able to adjust your approach accordingly. You might cringe to begin with, but more you'll quickly realise how useful it can be for seeing what other people see when they look at you.
Follow-up coaching
Another key component is that success can be achieved through repeat practice and drilling with daily exercises as part of an action plan. Participants are supported and encouraged to put their new skills into practice. We then discuss their results at follow-up one-to-one coaching sessions as part of the course.
Our expertise
This feedback training course is led by a extremely experienced trainer who have a deep understanding of constructive criticism, and having spent over 4 decades specialising in the topic of how to give feedback training. With numerous relevant examples and case studies there are very few questions you won't get a satisfactory answer and guidance.
Is This Constructive Criticism Training Right For You?
Discover the exact steps you need to be completely honest, and get away with it WITHOUT upsetting people
Do any of these problems ring a bell? If so then you've come to the right place ...
- In your job you have to help people perform better but you feel bad about it in case you come across as confrontational, rude, disrespectful, negative or hurtful.
- Sometimes you have to be tough with people … to help people face hard truths, but you're not confident you can do it without upsetting or offending and worry about being accused of bullying,
- You know that people need to be confronted from time to time, and they might benefit from tough, firm and clear feedback, but you're not at all confident how to give constructive criticism safely without starting an argument or a fight.
- You feel uncomfortable doing appraisals and performance reviews for employees and coworkers as a manager (the human resources part of the job). Instead of improving your relationships sometimes they end up causing you stress when the other person becomes defensive. You may accept they've got to be done but don't feel at all comfortable doing them.
- Perhaps you'd love to develop your leadership skills and become more inspirational and encouraging instead of accepting and putting up with poor performance or quality at work.
- Some people would like to be able to be more generous with your praise, but don't like to praise too much in case other people might think you sound insincere or patronising.
- Lots of people don't enjoy confronting problems, having difficult conversations and dealing with difficult or angry people because they've never been taught how to give constructive feedback and so find it hard to talk about difficult subjects while building rapport and trust.
- Sometime you really want to receive some good quality critical feedback, but don't know how to ask for it from the people from whom you need it if they are not very good at giving it.
- Sometimes you want to be able to express strong feelings, or dissatisfaction or complain more successfully and you'd love to know if there is a diplomatic way of doing it that doesn't provoke the other person into staring a fight.
- You sometimes have to receive feedback that is delivered clumsily, and it puts your back up because of how badly it is put across. You'd like to find a way to respond elegantly without being provoked into a defensive argument.
- Or, you may simply want to know more about emotional intelligence and how it can help you communicate more effectively with others and you're looking for one of the top training courses on the subject.
Why Can Honest Feedback Be A Struggle?
- Some people may be afraid of causing conflict or offending others by providing feedback, leading them to avoid it altogether.
- Those who are not very experienced in management may not know how to give honest feedback effectively and may be unsure about what to say or how to say it.
- They may be concerned about hurting the other person's feelings or damaging the relationship.
- Some people may be intimidated by the power dynamics involved in giving feedback to someone who is higher up in the organisation.
- Personal bias can impact their objectivity, making it difficult to provide constructive feedback that is fair and accurate.
What you'll take away from this feedback training
How to give effective feedback and constructive criticism - a London UK management training course and leadership coaching programme
- How to praise generously without making people feel patronised,
- How to criticise constructively without making them feel attacked or antagonised,
- How to confront others with your feedback without discouraging and putting them on the defensive,
- How to give effective feedback in the workplace,
- How to avoid common feedback pitfalls that irritate others,
- If you want to inspire and motivate others to change, how NOT to criticise.
- How to make others open minded and glad to receive specific, constructive criticism.
- Develop leadership skills so that people are inspired and motivated to follow you, and eager to please.
- This isn't just a set of academic lectures. There are some important principles we'll teach you, however our approach is mainly practical.
- You'll understand why giving feedback is difficult to do (biologically), and how to overcome the brain's bio-chemical triggers with a very simple, clear and powerful skill set.
- Exactly what to say, and how to say it in order for your feedback to be accepted without making people defensive.
- Practice an emotionally intelligent method of giving authentic, effective feedback during appraisals.
- How to both genuinely kind to the person AND tough on the issue when giving constructive criticism.
- Receive lots of practice during coaching sessions with a trainer, until you get really good at it.
- The training programme is designed to help you prepare for meetings where you'll be able to predict the kinds of things people might say so you can rehearse how best to respond in those situations.
- How to be become a more influential and authoritative communicator.
- How to confidently “give it to people straight” without having to worry about whether the way you're putting it is going to ruffle their feathers.
- You'll develop your leadership skills that all managers can master.
- You'll develop empathy so you can listen skilfully when offering feedback.
- You'll find that other people will be grateful for your feedback and constructive criticism to team members. They'll thank you because your insights and observations about them will be so helpful, supportive and positive - even when you're telling them what you don't like.
What This Course Offers In A Nutshell
If you want to improve your giving and receiving feedback skills, then taking this feedback training course can be an excellent idea. We make a big effort on all our courses to create a safe and supportive environment for learners to practice giving and receiving constructive feedback and constructive criticism.
Effective feedback is essential for personal and professional improvement and success in the workplace. However, it can be difficult to give and receive feedback in a positive and helpful way without proper techniques and tools. This particular feedback training course can be beneficial in this aspect.
An effective feedback workshop is a valuable part of these courses. Learners gain insights and knowledge on how to give effective feedback, encourage great feedback, and support their team members. These workshops offer a chance to practice giving and receiving feedback in a supportive and constructive environment.
You can learn how to focus on the positive aspects of feedback while also talking and discussing negative feedback constructively in a safe and supportive environment. With the help of this course you can benefit your employees, team, and organisation.
These training courses are a two-way street. You can gain confidence in giving and receiving great feedback, so you can respond more gracefully even if someone else is providing you feedback that is clumsy or rude. You will also receive one-to-one follow-up and support to help managers and leaders. It's an adult learning process that you will find incredibly helpful.
You can participate in learning sessions at your own pace to learn guidelines and techniques on how to effectively give and receive feedback. With a focus on performance and learning, you can have more productive and helpful conversations with your team members and achieve better performance and results.
This is a feedback training course that includes an effective feedback workshop and one-to-one coaching, giving you an excellent opportunity to develop your feedback and criticism skills in a safe and supportive environment. With the right techniques and tools, you can give and receive feedback in a helpful and supportive way, and benefit both your personal and professional success.
A Practical Guide To Constructive Criticism
How emotional intelligence can make your feedback more powerful
Appraisal training - how can I improve my feedback and constructive criticism skills?
- Just follow the simple practical guidelines given below, and you'll immediately find your feedback is better received. The guidelines are followed by some practical hints which give an idea of the approach you'll learn and practise on this feedback training course and leadership coaching programme.
- There's a world of difference between constructive feedback and personal criticism. It puts people's backs up when in the name of feedback they hear opinion, judgement, generalisation, unsought advice, or questions implying criticism. Our feedback training will enable you to be much more specific, factual, generous spirited and constructive with your feedback.
How to give emotionally intelligent constructive feedback and constructive criticism
You can make a start on improving the quality and effectiveness of your feedback before coming on the training course. Here's how:-
Always start feedback with praise
To give praise, think of something specific that the person has said or done that you feel good about, and give three pieces of specific information about it:-
- The fact that you feel good, e.g., pleased, satisfied, impressed, full of admiration.
- Specifically what you feel good about.
- Why it makes you feel good.
Then pause and pay close attention. Allow time for your praise to sink in and for the other person to respond. Do not be in a hurry to start the criticism. Go on to the criticism only when you are sure he is in a receptive state of mind.
Follow praise with construtive criticism
Here's how. Think of one thing you feel bad about, and give 3 specific pieces of information:-
- The fact that you feel bad, e.g., frustrated, concerned, dissatisfied, alarmed.
- What you feel bad about.
- Why it makes you feel bad.
Then pause and pay close attention. Allow time for your criticism to sink in and for the other person to respond.
When you try out this method of giving criticism, pay close attention to how the other person is receiving it. Make your praise so specific, honest and generous that he feels genuinely approved of, and do your utmost to make the whole experience highly motivating for him.
Most people are amazed at how well this method works when they put it to the test. But don't be hard on yourself. This kind of assertiveness training is hard to learn quickly. Practise in easy situations before moving on to difficult ones. On the Skills with People course we'll give you a great deal of coaching and feedback to help you develop your confidence you can use this approach effectively. Lots of leaders have developed this skills so that can talk straight to people and provide clear and inspiring leadership.
Practical Feedback Hints
Help People Become More Receptive To Your Criticism
But surely, if I follow praise with criticism won't I end offering negative feedback?
The key is - be generous. If you do a generous enough job with the praise, the criticism will also be received as positive. It will not be necessary to follow it with praise.
Is it really necessary always to start feedback with praise?
Yes, it's a pretty good rule of thumb. Otherwise your constructive criticism, however kindly meant and well done, is likely to put them on the defensive, and then it is much harder to get through to them.
How do I know when the feedback contains enough praise?
The answer is, when they feel genuinely approved of. So be generous. Don't stop at one piece of praise when you can find two. Don't stop at two when you can find three. Convince them you are genuinely in their fan club. The result is electric. Imagine how it would feel if someone genuinely treated you like this.
What if I can't think of anything to praise them for?
Only when you suspend critical thoughts when offering feedback can you see the other person in a more generous light. How can you do this? By making a conscious effort to separate their weaknesses from their strengths, and by setting aside their weaknesses in order to focus your mind on their strengths.
What if I resent them too much to think generously about them?
You can't think generously while carrying a grudge. Grudges, or grievances, weigh heavily on us. But no one can make us carry them. We're free to let them go if we want to.
Am I not in danger of being patronising when I give praise?
Yes you probably will sound patronising unless you (a) make the praise very specific, and (b) say only what you sincerely mean. If you do these two things there's no danger of being patronising.
Why is the PAUSE so necessary when giving feedback?
It gives time for your words to sink in, and for the other person to respond. Most people are in a rush. Don't be. This way of communicating works better slowly.
Must I always follow praise with criticism?
No, of course not. It works better if you give more praise than criticism. It also works well to praise often with no criticism attached - people will then be more likely to accept your feedback.