Sometimes when coaching an associate you must give negative feedback. The purpose of this feedback is to redirect the associate's behavior to help them get back on a path of success. There are 5 parts to a negative feedback.
1. Observation: As a coach and manager your goal is to help your associates to achieve their goals. But to know how to help your associates you must observe them in action. Look to see how your associates do their jobs and work with customers. Watch to see if they are displaying the correct behaviors to be successful.
2. Redirect: When you observe an associate not doing the correct behaviors point this out to them and correct their actions.
3. Be Specific: When redirecting an associate be specific on what behaviors were incorrect and what behaviors you expect to see.
4. Do It Immediately: Don't store up a bunch of redirects that you hammer your associate with later. Correct the behaviors as soon as you see it.
5. Step In: There will be times that the behaviors your associate are displaying are so poor that you will want to step in to help. If the associate's behaviors are effecting a sale getting closed, a customer getting the service they deserve, a project being completed correctly, or there is a safety issue then you must step in as the manager and take over. Use this as an opportunity to work as a team.
Don't forget that you should always give more positive feedback than negative feedback. Be looking more for things to praise, than for things to correct. A good rule is to praise at least 3 times for every 1 redirect.
