Prepare to give feedback
Give difficult feedback about a missed handoff. Explain what happened, hear your colleague's side and agree on one change you can check.
Describe what happened #
Write what you observed, its effect on the work and what needs to change. 'Poor communication', 'bad attitude' and 'lack of ownership' are labels. Ask for an action another person could check.
Check the wider situation too. Limited capacity, conflicting responsibilities, incentives or a broken process may be causing the same problem.
Sources: Define the behavior before opening the feedback conversation
Separate facts from guesses #
A missed handoff is observable. 'You do not care' is a guess about intent. Keep that guess separate from the person and the effect on the work. Discuss what happened without requiring agreement about someone's character.
You still need to address the problem and its consequences. Avoiding guesses about motives does not lower the standard.
Ask for one change #
Choose one useful change for the next relevant task: confirm who owns the work at the end of a meeting, report a blocker before the deadline or bring a recommendation with the problem. A long list of broad weaknesses leaves too much to act on at once.
The change should be visible the next time that task comes up. Serious misconduct, safety issues or formal performance processes are different cases and may require broader documented action.
Sources: Ask for one next behavior, not a personality renovation
Hear their side #
Ask what the other person saw differently and which fact or constraint you may have missed. They can disagree with your explanation and still give you useful information. Listen before deciding what to accept.
When you receive difficult feedback, use the same order: first find what is useful, then decide whether you accept the wider conclusion. Do not delay urgent action on safety or misconduct while you reflect.
Sources: Receive feedback in two passes: signal first, verdict later
Agree on the next check #
Agree what will happen differently, when and how you will both check it. 'Communicate better' is too vague to check. Tie the change to a real situation.
If the problem repeats, return to what you agreed and what actually happened. That gives the next conversation something concrete to work from.
Sources: Define the behavior before opening the feedback conversation · Ask for one next behavior, not a personality renovation