No buts about it

When giving feedback to an employee, co-worker, friend or family member, remember to “but out”. Praise, when followed by the word but, is received as negative feedback. Think about the following sentence delivered by your supervisor “You did a great job on the Green Report Susan, but I wish you’d finished it sooner.” The praise is negated by the criticism that follows.This doesn’t mean that the need for change is ignored. Consider the same feedback phrased as….”You did a great job on the Green Report Susan. I appreciate the high quality work you did under a tight deadline. Make sure you let me know when I’m expecting the impossible so I can set more realistic timelines.” Share the same information without losing the benefit of praise.