In this blog post, I wanted to dive into how small businesses with virtual teams can provide productive feedback to their team members. Things like leadership, personal development, instilling leadership in your team, and each person’s enneagram type will help you provide productive feedback to your team.

As a small business owner, one of your most important responsibilities is to provide productive feedback to your team. Whether you have a team of virtual contractors or employees, giving feedback is an essential part of fostering growth and development in your team members. Stick with me as I dive into some best practices for giving productive feedback to your team.

The big picture

Before diving into specific feedback, it’s important to establish a big-picture context for your team. This means setting clear goals and expectations for your team’s work and communicating those goals and expectations clearly to your team members. When your team members understand what you’re trying to achieve and why their work matters, they’ll be so much more motivated to improve and grow.

#1 Focus on behavior, not personality

When giving feedback, it’s important to focus on specific behaviors rather than personality traits. For example, instead of telling someone they’re disorganized, focus on specific instances of disorganization and provide feedback on how to improve. This helps your team members see specific areas for improvement rather than feeling like they’re being criticized for who they are.

#2 Use the enneagram to understand your team

The enneagram is a powerful personality system that can help you understand the motivations and behaviors of your team members. By understanding your team members’ enneagram types, you can tailor your feedback to their specific needs and motivations. For example, if you have a team member who is a perfectionist (enneagram type 1), you might focus on giving them feedback that helps them let go of the need for perfection and embrace the learning process.

#3 Emphasize personal development

When giving feedback, it’s important to emphasize personal development rather than just pointing out mistakes. This means framing feedback in a way that helps your team members see opportunities for growth and development. For example, instead of telling someone they did something wrong, you might say, “Here’s how this can be different next time.”

#4 Instill leadership in your team

One of my personal fav ways to allow space for productive feedback is to instill leadership in your team members. Give them opportunities to take ownership of their work and make decisions. This will not only helps your team members feel more engaged and motivated, but it also frees up your time as a small business owner. When your team members are empowered to take ownership of their work, they’ll be more invested in its success. Typically they will be more likely to take initiative and solve problems on their own.

Providing productive feedback to your virtual contractor team is essential for fostering growth and development. Start with the big picture. Focus on behavior rather than personality. Use the enneagram to understand your team. Emphasis personal development & instill leadership in your team. You will then be able to give feedback that helps your team members grow and succeed. Okay, so now that you’re equipped and empowered as a business owner to provide productive feedback to your team. Soooo. What are you waiting for? Go be the amazing leader you are meant to be.

If you need few more pointers on leading your team check out my recent blog titled: Become a Strong Leader of your Virtual Team.