What to Say When: Criticizing a Team Member’s Work
How to Criticize an Employee’s Work Without Creating Conflict
About Course
Delivering critical feedback to an employee is one of the most uncomfortable responsibilities a manager faces. Done poorly, it triggers defensiveness, erodes trust, and leaves the performance problem unsolved. Done well, it redirects behavior, reinforces accountability, and strengthens the working relationship. This course teaches a structured communication strategy that keeps feedback objective and behavior-focused rather than personal or judgmental, reducing the emotional charge that so often derails these conversations.
In just four minutes, this microlearning video walks managers through a realistic office scenario where a team member’s performance has slipped. Viewers see exactly what to say and how to say it—using language that separates the work from the person, invites dialogue instead of shutting it down, and moves the conversation toward a constructive outcome.
Whether you are a first-time supervisor or a seasoned manager looking to sharpen your feedback skills, this course delivers a practical, immediately applicable framework. It is ideal for use in onboarding new managers, refreshing the skills of experienced leaders, or embedding within a broader communication and performance management curriculum.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply an objective, behavior-focused communication framework when addressing an employee’s poor performance
- Use language that separates the individual’s identity from the quality of their work to reduce emotional defensiveness
- Recognize verbal and situational triggers that escalate performance conversations into conflict
- Redirect a struggling employee toward improvement without undermining their confidence or motivation
- Open and structure a critical feedback conversation in a way that encourages two-way dialogue
- Demonstrate composure and professionalism when delivering uncomfortable feedback in a workplace setting
Who It’s For
This course is designed for supervisors, team leads, department managers, and HR business partners who are responsible for coaching employees and addressing performance gaps. It is especially relevant for newly promoted managers who have not yet developed a reliable approach to difficult feedback conversations, as well as experienced leaders who want a refresher on de-escalation and objective communication. Any professional in an office environment who oversees others and must periodically address substandard work will benefit directly.
Why It Matters
Research consistently shows that poorly delivered criticism is one of the leading drivers of employee disengagement, voluntary turnover, and workplace conflict. Most managers understand that feedback is necessary, yet many avoid it or handle it in ways that make performance problems worse. When criticism feels like a personal attack, employees disengage, become resentful, or leave. Organizations that equip their managers with structured, empathy-aware feedback skills see measurably better performance outcomes, stronger team cohesion, and lower attrition—making this a high-return investment in leadership capability.
FAQ
Who should take this course?
This course is best suited for managers, supervisors, team leads, and HR professionals who are responsible for coaching employees and addressing underperformance. It is particularly valuable for new managers who are still building confidence in delivering difficult feedback, and for any leader who wants a clear, repeatable communication strategy for performance conversations in an office environment.
What will I be able to do after completing this course?
After completing this course, you will be able to deliver critical performance feedback using language that is objective, behavior-focused, and less likely to trigger a defensive reaction. You will have a concrete communication framework you can apply immediately the next time you need to address an employee’s work quality or output.
How long does this course take to complete?
This course is a four-minute microlearning video, making it easy to complete between meetings or as part of a focused learning session. It is fully self-paced, so learners can pause, rewatch, and revisit the content as needed.
Can this course be assigned and tracked in an LMS?
Yes. This course is available through eLeaP, a full-featured learning management system that allows administrators to assign the course to specific employees, track completion, and report on progress across teams. eLeaP makes it straightforward to deploy this training at scale across an entire management population.
Is this course part of a larger training program?
This course works well as a standalone microlearning resource and can also be combined with other eLeaP courses on communication, coaching, and performance management to build a comprehensive leadership development curriculum. Organizations often pair it with related titles on giving feedback, handling conflict, and conducting performance reviews for a more complete learning journey.
Schema Teaches
Constructive performance feedback delivery, Objective and behavior-focused communication in the workplace, De-escalation techniques during difficult employee conversations, Coaching underperforming employees toward improvement, Professional conflict prevention in manager-employee interactions