An employee who can’t take criticism or who won’t accept feedback can be very difficult to manage. Learn 7 Steps to make your job a lot easier and managing them more effective.

When you have to manage an employee who can’t take criticism it is tempting to not give them any feedback or take the very safe option of providing positive or bland feedback. This route doesn’t help anyone, especially you the manager. 

 Giving useful, practical, and well thought out feedback is a job requirement of any manager that wants to improve their team. When an employee doesn't take feedback, using a different approach makes a big difference. 

 These 7 steps to manage an employee who can’t take criticism, in my experience, are very effective. I have used them for years with employees who get very emotional when receiving criticism through to those who just won't accept feedback.

 Giving feedback when employees can't handle it is about getting the person to reach realistic views on their own performance, choices, and behaviour and understand the consequences of this without you directly telling them.

 Before speaking to an employee who can’t take criticism, I have found it super useful to go through these steps:

 Firstly, to work out exactly what the issues are. This helps me formulate questions to lead the employee to areas I want them to talk about. 

 Next, if you want someone to change, there needs to be a negative impact of not changing. Work out what this. When an employee won't accept feedback, getting them to understand impacts by asking the right questions is so useful. 

 Before I speak to an employee who won't accept feedback, I make sure I am really clear about the outcomes I want. If I am clear, I have a much better chance of getting the employee to this place. 

 Then use all the questions you are prepared to lead the employee who won’t take criticism to talk through the issues and the impact and aim to get them to agree to the outcome you want – all through asking questions.

 Another useful tactic is to ask an employee who won’t accept feedback to communicate the best way to overcome their problem with feedback and criticism. i.e. get them to solve the problem. 

 Finally, being patient is important in the trust building process. Employees will talk to you when they trust you. Work hard to earn their trust. 

 Jess

Enhance.training