Offering Constructive Criticism

[Almond_Joy]

Hi everyone,

 

I'm a project coordinator among other things for my department. I work as point of contact for most of our third party software consultants.

 

We've been contracted with a third party consultant for about 3 or 4 years, I've been here almost two. The service is basically a 1 man operation, and in many aspects he simply has not delivered on his initial agreement with the organization.

 

We're upgrading some of our other products and in doing so will no longer have a need for this third party service. His access to org strategy has been restricted, which coincided with the onboarding of a new analyst in our dept. The consultant is convinced that he's being phased out because of recommendations by the analyst (a little true, but not the main reason).

 

Now despite working with the guy for so long, I've never been assertive in criticizing his service delivery. Partly because I'm not clear that I've been vested with the institutional authority usually required for someone to be accountable to me as a representative of the org, if that makes sense. My current boss is the figurehead and usually takes the more authoritative tone/communications. I don't want to assume authority that I don't have or lead him to think I'm overstepping my bounds.

 

On the other hand I really want to give this consultant honest feedback about how he's conducted himself and how that led to his standing now, rather than let him tell himself our analyst is a troublemaker and he the consultant is a victim of politics. The analyst knows the consultant's defensive but isn't aware that he's kind of taking the changes personally....from my interactions with him I don't think the analyst would care if I told him. Plus I don't want to involve him (the analyst) as that feels like it's creating unnecessary drama.

 

Should I offer constructive professional criticism to this consultant even though it may not be well received, or should I keep my mouth shut as he hasn't asked for my criticisms to start with?

[mightycpa]

Before you get advice that will work for you, I think you need to answer a couple more questions:

 

How is it that you know for a fact that the consultant blames the analyst? Has the consultant told you this directly?

 

Clearly, you want the consultant to get feedback. Do you want to be the person who sets the consultant straight, or would you rather someone else does it?

[angel.eyes]

He didn't ask you for feedback. So, keep your criticism to yourself. Otherwise he'll begin badmouthing you too to anyone in your industry who will listen.

 

I'm sure he's well aware that he hasn't exactly delivered stellar service. But some people see a gravy train and no one holding them accountable and they take advantage of the situation. The organization has shifted focus and his services are no longer needed. His contract is ending. That's the relevant info he needs at this point. Getting into discussions about who really made that decision and who exactly terminated the contract serves no purpose.

 

Incidentally, if he isn't delivering on his work, he'll lose other gravy train clients too. Then he'll actually be compelled to shape up and deliver on his agreements. Not your problem to coddle him to that point. You're not his parent or his employer. He's not a four-year old learning to run his first lemonade stand. He's an adult and a business owner selling a set of services.

[salparadise]

I would suggest saying to your boss that the consultant needs to receive a fair assessment of the reasons he's being phased out (because he's thinking it's petty politics). If the boss agrees, you could then say, would you like for me to communicate with him or would you rather do it yourself. The only risk is that the boss might not agree, which shouldn't be a big deal as long as you haven't already taken it upon yourself.

[Got it]

I would run it by your boss, as suggested by others, and get the okay. I am a big proponent on transparent, honest feedback, so this would have already been communicated by myself or whomever was leading the team on this. I am also a big believer in developing others to take the lead on something like this as it is a big part as someone moves up in a company and takes a leadership role. So I commend you on wanting to give the constructive criticism as so many try to avoid it.

[angel.eyes]

The time to demonstrate leadership and give feedback was when he wasn't doing his job, not after the company has terminated his services! Before he was let go, her feedback would have been proactive and might possibly have led to a different outcome, assuming he were interested in saving his contract with the company.

 

Saying you suck (much prettier words will be used of course) after he's left the building and giving him details of who did and didn't make the decision to kick him out won't change the fact that he's been let go. The time to have spoken with him about his subpar performance was when he had an active role at the company.

 

Instead of showcasing leadership, running to him with details after he's been let go suggests disloyalty to her team who made the decision to terminate a problematic consultant's services. They chose to share what they felt were relevant details in that conversation. Does she know for a fact what was said? Or just his version via gossip and whatever. Going to the terminated consultant outside the official communication he received also conveys the message that at some level she disagrees with whoever made the decision.

Edited March 8, 2017 by angel.eyes

[angel.eyes]

One other thing. I've found that very often what the person who has been terminated says to others about what transpired, rarely matches what actually happened. Their focus is on saving face, and making it about the company, its politics, etc. and not their deficiencies. Unless the OP was directly involved in the discussions they had with this ex-consultant, I would tread very carefully.

 

She is well-meaning, but this choice to get involved after the fact is a lose-lose proposition. It's stuff like this that gets you a reputation for poor judgement and permanently stalls your career progress at the company.

[ChatroomHero]

Keep in mind, any critique you give the consultant will very likely be passed along to your bosses in some form. It's very possible and often likely you say something like, "Hey you missed deadlines that caused problems", to which he might approach your bosses with his defense.

 

 

Example: "Almond Joy told me I missed deadlines but you recall you made changes that impacted that...".

 

 

If he thinks there is still work to be had, if he pleads his case, he will likely plead his case in direct response to your criticisms. If he pleads his case to your bosses instead of you, they will ask where he heard the criticism.

 

 

Unless you are ok with your bosses knowing you are passing along the criticism, even if he asks, I would not say much of anything.

 

 

For all you know they may want to sue or cut payments based on missed deadlines or they may have already disputed bills etc., and you giving him info gives him inside info for a defense. What's best for your company should be your concern and to me that would be keep your poker face as giving him criticism in no way helps your company.

[act00]

So for about 3-4 years, this individual has not measured up. You COULD be in that authoritative role of following up and getting the job done and making sure he followed through (possibly ending the contract sooner), but in this time frame of working with this consultant, this has been your boss' responsibility, not yours. I don't know how it will serve you in any great capacity to let him know why, now, when you have been the primary person of communication for nearly half a decade, why his contract is terminated. Why didn't let him know right from the very start when things started to unravel? But you're letting him know now, out of the goodness of your heart, when his contract is terminated...like when it's too late to fix it?

 

Not that this consultant needs to be told. He made his bed, and your boss clearly didn't do what needed to be done (maybe he did, and this consultant is lazy), and you're left with the resulting guilt.

 

I wouldn't even want to dip my toes in this mud puddle. You knew that things were not going well a long time ago. You didn't really have the authority and never spoke up back then or at any point along the way. Speaking up now is too little too late, and I'm not sure there won't be ramifications to it.

[dispatch3d]

You have nothing to gain by giving more information about why his services aren't being used anymore. I really see no reason to give constructive feedback from your point of view. If you aren't typically in a role where this would happen, the most I would do is ask your boss what she thinks of doing this. For reasons given by other posters I don't think its worthwhile to say why you in particular experienced bad service from him so I would just phase him out and he can draw his own conclusions how he sees fit.

[Telemachus]

I recommend that you not provide any assessment of the consultant's work, unless you are assigned to do so. There are already termination provisions in the contract. You aren't his boss or mentor. His only connection to your company is by contract. If you have an identified role in your company's responsibilities under that contract, then perform those responsibilities.

 

If you don't think he's contributing value equal to what your company is paying him, then you can recommend to whoever executed the contract on your company's behalf that now is a good time to terminate the contract.

 

"He's no longer needed" is all you have to say in making that internal recommendation.

[spiderowl]

A new way of doing things comes along, someone new with bright ideas and suddenly the old contractors start to seem jaded. The new option is attractive and maybe justifiably so. But in that situation there is a new need to justify dropping the old contractor. All their faults/failures are obvious because they have been there a long time. Yes, they have made mistakes and maybe the new contractor will be much better. What I would hesitate to do is to think that the reason the old contractor is being let go is because of their poor service. It might well be, but equally it could be that someone else came along with a good idea and suddenly looked better. Guilt about dropping the old contractor kicks in and then justification starts.

 

If you feel a need to give feedback, then why now? It's a bit too late isn't it? He's losing the contract. Yes, feedback might help prevent him having the same problems in the future - if that was the reason he lost the contract - but be sure in your heart that it was the real reason.

 

You could be entering a minefield here as blame will ricochet around the department/company. People are going to be upset. Giving constructive feedback might seem a positive thing to do but is it? I would not give it unless specifically asked.

[Almond_Joy]

Never came back and responded, sorry.

 

Thanks for responses everyone. I thought about it some me more and decided like many of you that it's in my best interest to keep my mouth shut.

 

I'd never considered the perspective that this kind of communication was not just my boss' preference, but his responsibility. I think that's accurate, since I was never explicitly given this responsibility. I think I was feeling like it was, really.

 

Anyway, thanks!