Issue 125: How to give your boss tough feedback.

Hello! 

Steph L here. Hope you’re having a perfect day without the looming dread of something awful, like, say, needing to give some tough feedback to your boss. But if you are, today’s newsletter is for you. 

At Bright + Early we teach feedback workshops to all kinds of organizations, helping them work through (and practice) the tough art of telling people how they’re showing up for you. And, being HR people in general, we spend a lot of time coaching people through crafting and delivering feedback they really don’t want to give. 

The thing we get the most questions on? How to handle giving feedback to a boss. The straightforward advice is to just steel yourself, use a good feedback framework, and do it anyway. And this is all dandy. But what about real life? What if you’ve got a difficult manager, or legit power dynamic problem? Or you have a great manager but you personally struggle with anything that’s even vaguely confrontational? 

Past me would always choose venting or burning out over being direct. When I did manage to speak up, I was so depleted and stuck in my own head that I’d come across as whiny and rarely get any resolution. I often had good reasons, like you probably do, for avoiding giving upwards feedback. But overall, I really did myself a disservice. I don't want that for you! 

I still get nervous, but learning how to give timely feedback and give it well has changed everything for me. I’ve put a few tips together, including my favourite framework for being direct (without being whiny or super-confrontational) and some workarounds to try if you’re not ready for that yet.

Best of luck! 

Steph

New in Early Magazine:

Bright Reads

• This Game Studio's Job Requirement: 'Non Negotiable' Nude Sauna Sessions

• A comprehensive guide to managing up.

• Microsoft Excel is arguably the world’s most important piece of business software. Can it also be a sport?

• There seems to be a cultural discontent building around toxic productivity and overdesigned routines.

• Over 80% of workers are scared of their company’s HR department.

• “We may have hit peaked LinkedIn”

Happening in June

• Until July 8, our friends (and clients) TransCare+ are holding a pride raffle with amazing prizes (vacations! gift cards!) with all funds going directly to their 2SLGBTQIA+ peer support programming and gender-affirming gear program.

• In Vancouver? Work in gaming or another facet of creative tech? Interested in making that culture more inclusive? Check out B+E’s Clea Arrieta on this June 27 panel event.

• Canada Day is on July 1, and July 4 (USA) is on well, July 4. For many folks, these days are complicated. Consider reflecting as a team on the history of colonialism and including that in your recognition of what these days mean.

• July 14 is International Non-Binary Peoples Day.

• August is Disability Pride Month and South Asian Heritage Month.

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