April 27, 2009Reader Question ~ Passing complaints up the ladder

Meryl,

Hello, I need to know how to say something without hurting feelings. I am an adjunct teacher at a school and know that the way they are running the program has many issues. I hear daily complaints from students and feel that it’s time to talk to someone. How would you approach this?

Response
Sometimes the truth hurts, even when it’s spoken sweetly, so it may not be possible to say it in a way that doesn’t offend. You can minimize the sting if you:

Ask permission to offer feedback. Frame it in the context that you are in a position to hear things that administration is not, and that your information could be useful to them.
Let them know why you share the info. That you want the school to be as successful as it can be. That you’re speaking as someone who is concerned and cares.
Organize your feedback into categories.
Be specific with concrete examples.
Focus on solutions more than problems. Take each complaint and turn it around into a recommendation.
Adopt and maintain the stance of support and service.

Once you’ve had your say, leave the ball in their court and listen. It’s appropriate for you to share the information. It’s up to them to decide to use it or not.

Tell me how it goes.