Leadership works best when feedback is not treated as a balancing act between equal parts criticism and praise. Rather, it’s about ensuring the scales are heavily tilted toward what employees do best. When problems do arise, telling employees how to succeed – not how to stop failing – is most effective. Managers who provide feedback in this way act not just as bosses but as coaches, interested in fostering the development of their team. Here’s how you can deliver strengths-based feedback like a coach: 1. Make it timely and futuristic. What specific things can the person do next time to get results faster? I call this “feed-forward” vs. feedback. 2. Offer positive reinforcement for what they’re doing right. Say: “You’ve got such an amazing work ethic” or “You ask such insightful questions.” 3. Share the downstream effects of the person’s actions on other team members, the company and their own potential for advancement. Say, “When you meet all your deadlines, you set an example for the rest of the team and position yourself as a leader for the next project.”