In the world of applying emotional intelligence, it can be a somewhat precarious balance to get feedback right, to tell the truth with care and without compromise. This is also true of positive feedback. Those of you who have worked with me know that we often focus on giving difficult feedback and how to create the right conditions for giving and receiving feedback. I wanted to share with you an example of some feedback I have recently received after I had given some constructive (but challenging) feedback – with care and without compromise:

I will say that my appreciation for Maureen is now on the ‘super level’. Some of what I offered was just not right …and her deft chiding contained integrity and encouragement in a beautiful EI measure.
Certainly working for her and with her are much the same thing …and that is a rare gift.
It is said that the sign of a good manager is that the people who are being managed do not feel that they are being managed.

It would be easy not to share this, to be concerned that it may come over as boasting etc. The intention behind sharing it with you is as evidence that the approach we discuss in our development sessions works – telling the truth with care and without compromise. Not pussingfooting, not clobbering but assertive communication to suit the style of the receiver. This is a real life example of what I did and the response I got back.