Sometimes managers are more apprehensive about delivering feedback than the recipient is about receiving it. But if you want employees to improve their performance, there's no avoiding the feedback process.

This month's cover story presents a formula for feedback success while acknowledging the anxiety typically associated with it and how to overcome it. "By following a few simple guidelines, supervisors can conquer their fear of feedback and turn an otherwise difficult encounter into a positive one," write Patrick S. Malone and Zina B. Sutch in their article.

Whether it's just once a year (not recommended!) or repeatedly throughout the year, giving feedback to your employees is such an important practice that affects many facets of your entire organization: productivity, employee engagement, sales, and retention, just to name a few. It's true that few people want to hear criticisms about their work. However, I'm certain you would rather have a successful feedback conversation than deal with the frustration of an employee's repeated unsatisfactory performance. Am I right?

Vanessa St. Gerard

Editor