You're struggling to give feedback to your hospitality team. How can you effectively communicate with them?

- Always start with a positive note - Clear any negative perceptions from your heart about the team member whom you are going to speak with - Do not judge the team based on other people's feedback - It is important to have a two way conversation and motivate the team member to open up. - Have an open door policy which shall boost the motivation of your team and encourage enhanced communication. - Never talk negatively about a team member to other team members/ management/ guests. - Always close the conversation by giving the final opportunity to the team member to speak, summarise your agenda and let the team member acknowledge the same. - Be open to any feedback/suggession/clarification

Create a Positive and Supportive Atmosphere: - Start with Recognition: Begin feedback conversations by acknowledging their hard work and contributions. Example: "John, I appreciate how diligently you handled the morning check-in rush. Your efficiency and friendly demeanour made a great impression on our guests."

Feedback goes both ways. Always listen to your team first. Step one: Notify your team to bring you ideas to improve whatever the perceived issue may be. Step two: Schedule enough time to hear each team member. (sub-managers can do this and report to you.) Step three: Formulate feedback to your team that will make the biggest impact based on your team comments. Step Four: follow up with those people who had great feedback ideas and reward them. Step Five: Watch everyone take ownership of their feedback. You began with the big picture. Now you know the small picture, it is easier to see where the bottlenecks and roadblocks occur. Feedback is more constructive when it is designed around an individuals perceived challenges.

- Start on a Positive Note: Begin feedback sessions by highlighting what the team is doing well to set a constructive tone. - Be Specific: Focus on specific actions or behaviors, avoiding vague or general comments. - Balance Critique with Praise: Frame critiques as opportunities for growth while reinforcing strengths. - Encourage Open Dialogue: Foster a two-way conversation, inviting team members to share their thoughts and solutions.

Couldn’t agree more with @oskar! Starting on a positive note & building trust is very important. Once the team is convinced that you are with them & not “ on the other side”, they are more likely to handle negative feedback in a neutral manner & likely to see if they could do something to change the scenario too. In my experience, building a positive environment & sufficient rapport as well as context works, when this is followed by slowly & tactfully communicating about the challenges or feedback. The goal again is to work cohesively with the team & help them to navigate the situation.

Provide Specific and Actionable Feedback: - Focus on Behaviors: Address specific actions or outcomes, using clear examples to illustrate your points. - Avoid Generalizations: Avoid vague comments like "You need to be more organized." Instead, say, "I noticed the reports were submitted late yesterday. Let's discuss how we can improve time management in the future." - Offer Solutions: Suggest concrete steps for improvement, providing guidance and resources to help them succeed.

Providing specific feedback is essential for effective communication and improvement Use Concrete Examples: Cite Incidents: Refer to specific instances or situations to illustrate your points. Be Detailed: Provide as much detail as possible about the behavior or situation. Avoid Vague Generalizations: Be Specific: Instead of saying "You're always late," say, "You were 15 minutes late to the morning shift on Tuesday." Quantify When Possible: Measure Performance: Use numbers or data to quantify performance, such as "Your customer satisfaction ratings have decreased by 5% in the past month." Focus on Behaviors, Not Attitudes: Observe Actions: Describe observable behaviors rather than making assumptions about someone's attitude or intentions

Use specific examples to clarify your points, making it easier for the team members to grasp the feedback. Focus on your observations rather than assumptions. For example, you could say, I observed that during the dinner service, some guests experienced longer-than-usual wait times for their drinks.

Choose the Right Time and Place for Feedback: - Avoid Public Criticism: Provide feedback in a private setting to respect the individual's dignity and avoid embarrassment. - Choose a Calm Moment: Avoid giving feedback during peak service hours or when the team member is stressed. - Be Mindful of Timing: Consider the team member's emotional state and choose when they are most receptive to feedback.

Approach the conversation with a positive and encouraging tone, emphasizing growth and improvement rather than assigning blame. Choose a private, comfortable setting to provide feedback, ensuring the team member feels valued and not singled out.

When it comes to building trust, two-way communication helps employees feel comfortable sharing feedback with colleagues and leaders. As employees see that their input is welcomed and valued, they begin to open up more and trust management.

Encourage Two-Way Communication and Dialogue: - Ask Open-Ended Questions: Encourage team members to share their perspectives and ask questions about the feedback. - Active Listening: Practice listening, paraphrasing their responses, and validating their feelings. - Collaborative Problem-Solving: Work together to identify solutions and develop an action plan for improvement.

Collaborate to develop actionable steps for improvement, which can help the team member feel more engaged and committed to making positive changes. Encourage them to share their perspective, as this can offer valuable insights and ensure they feel understood.

Taking an active role in the development of your team demonstrates confidence and concern for the future of the organization. It also gives employees feelings of significance, community and value – which is always important and even more so in today’s work environment when so many companies struggle to attract and keep top talent.

Training is a valuable resource! offer any necessary training or tools to support their improvement. Make it clear that you are there to assist in their growth.

- Express Willingness to Help: Let your team know you’re there to support their growth and success. - Provide Clear Guidance: Offer actionable steps and resources to help them improve in specific areas. - Be Patient and Understanding: Acknowledge challenges and reassure the team that you’re invested in their progress. - Follow Up Regularly: Check in to see how they’re doing and provide ongoing support as needed.

As a leader in the team, I always encourage and support the team for their development as well as growth. I also would like to highlight to the managerial positions to be the leader not the boss and support the team with positive actions by giving them valuable insights to uplift the team.

1. Demonstrates Commitment It shows your investment in the team's growth and success. 2. Encourages Accountability: Regular check-ins keep team members focused and responsible for their tasks. 3. Provides Additional Guidance: Follow-ups create opportunities to address challenges, ensuring support is available. 4. Reinforces Positive Changes: Acknowledging improvements boosts morale and encourages ongoing effort. 5. Enhances Communication: It fosters open dialogue, allowing team members to share feedback and concerns. 6. Tracks Progress: Helps assess the effectiveness of strategies and identify areas needing improvement. 7. Motivates Team Members: Recognition of progress serves as a motivational tool, inspiring continued effort.