by Caryl Teh

It isn’t always nice to be on the receiving end of a correction, but you probably WANT to be receiving it from your teammates. And for those on the giving end, it isn’t always easy either! Here’s the good news: It’s possible to correct someone in a way that is polite and constructive (and ideally doesn’t lead to flushed faces or burned bridges). Here are 4 tips to make that happen.

1. Find The Right Time And Place

If you’ve ever had somebody else point out your screw-ups, you know that the experience can be… well, embarrassing. That feeling of embarrassment might be rooted in your anticipation of a negative evaluation by others, a hit to your self-esteem or ego that makes it difficult to own up to your mistake no matter how much contrary evidence is provided.What might timely feedback look like?

• Bring it up in a one-on-one conversation rather than shining a spotlight on the error in front of a larger group.
• The urgency factor: Sometimes it’s better if they find out sooner, even if you can’t find a very private or ideal setting, rather than later in front of a panel of external stakeholders. Think of it as telling them they have spinach in their teeth before they step up to the podium – a little embarrassment right now will save them even greater mortification in the long run.

2. Start With Some Clarifying Questions

Let’s assume that you aren’t in a major crunch, and you have some time to dedicate to a thoughtful conversation about the correction you’re offering. Rather than going in with guns blazing, you could approach the exchange a little more tactfully by asking some clarifying questions first.

Here’s an example: Instead of “The number you have here isn’t right—it should be 15%.”, try a more open-ended prompt like, “I’d like to take another look at the email statistics you reported here. Can you walk me through how you landed on a 30% increase?”

Entering the conversation this way accomplishes a couple of different things:

• It gives you a chance to gut-check your own correction. After all, you’re human and make mistakes too.
• You will seem less aggressive, giving ample opportunity to identify where your perceptions aren’t lining up with each other.
• It’s a non-accusatory invitation for the person to check whether or not they have an incorrect recollection of an event or a misguided perception of a decision. This makes it much easier for you to help them get back on track, without it turning into an argument.

3. Provide Evidence To Back Up Your Point

Imagine somebody pulls you aside and says “You’ve done something wrong.”, but doesn’t say what, when, how, or give any further detail. Not very helpful, is it? When you’re correcting someone, whether it’s a minor oversight or a major blunder, you should be prepared to back up your point with real data or evidence, and not just your well-intended opinion.

Here’s an example: Rather than just telling your coworker that the statistics should read 15%, show them your data and walk through the math together. After all, it’s easy to argue with opinions. But facts? Not so much.

4. Offer To Help Patch Things Up When You Can

You could constantly poke holes in other peoples’ work or conclusions and then just leave them to fend for themselves with that new information. But long-term work relationships are going to be much more effective and enjoyable if you focus on collaboration and not competition; “Let’s see how we can make this better.”, not “I’m right, you’re wrong.”

So if the correction you want to raise is going to create a lot more legwork for that person, like redoing that entire report or reformatting a chunk of the slides, be a team player by offering to help them patch things up if you have the time or expertise.

Correction Can Be Empowering!

Let’s not sugarcoat it: correction is needed for growth. But that doesn’t mean you can deliver it however you like. Prioritising work relationships over just being proven right will put your team in a better position to grow exponentially and collaborate more effectively.

If you’re on the receiving end, remember to be willing to accept correction with an open mind too. When someone points out your errors, thank them for the feedback and take it in stride.

Source:
Trello