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When someone edits your
memo or letter with a red pen, do you think back to your seventh-grade English teacher,
who cut through your essays, laying open your mistakes and leaving behind streaks of
blood? If you can remember that painful feeling, you certainly don't want to act like an
English teacher when you're editing someone else's writing. Giving feedback like that on
the job can demoralize your employees, make them resent your management style and cause
potential interpersonal problems in the office.
The alternative is to give feedback that motivates
your employees to want to rewrite and improve their writing skills. The following five
techniques will help you give that kind of feedback. 1. Respond to the content first, then to the style. Before going
"inside the sentences" to critique the punctuation or phrasing, look at the
"big picture": comment on the information being conveyed in the memo or letter.
2. Make your opening remark a positive one, then proceed to what can
be improved. Beginning on a negative note is demoralizing to the writer; it makes her
embarrassed and defensive. Instead, start with a complimentary statement--an honest
one--such as, "Your ideas are all here," "This is structured well," or
"I like the friendly and persuasive tone." Then move into those areas that need
to be changed.
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3.
Don't impose your writing style on your staff simply because you're
management. This is extremely important. More times than you can
imagine I have heard employees complain, "My boss makes me write
just like him. My writing is good, but just because it's different
from his, he makes me change it."As long as
your personnel don't communicate misinformation or compromise your company, let them write
in their own styles.4. Try not to edit in red ink. Yes, red is easier to see (and
some workers prefer it) but it's a good idea to ask the person first which color she
prefers, red or blue. For many people, red ink brings back unpleasant memories, and acts
as a barrier to the suggestions you're trying to convey.  5. End the meeting on a positive note. Never let
the employee walk out of your office feeling bad. Once the person is clear about how to
fix the writing, send her off with a word of encouragement. Either comment on how her
writing is improving, or tell her that you appreciate her taking the time to rewrite.
Since many dwell on the last thing said to them, that last thing should be an uplifting
one. Keep in mind that praise helps people develop confidence in their writing.
The next time an employee asks you to review a piece
of writing, pause before reaching for the red pen. Think twice before starting with a
negative comment. Put yourself in that person's position, and treat her the way you'd like
to be treated. Instead of breathing fear into her the way your English teachers did to
you, be sensitive to your staff's needs. If you promote your employees' learning and
professional growth, in return you'll get more confident and productive writers.
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