One of the inherent qualities of humans is the readiness to correct someone else's mistakes. We are very excited about pointing out the shortcomings of others that we often forget to analyse the aftermath of our deeds. Even though we like to offer unsolicited advice to others, we don't fancy being corrected by someone else. Do we? 

How can we give effective corrective feedback to someone we love without hurting their feelings?

Without further ado, let us dive into the topic. 

In life, all we want is to love and be loved. The relationships we share with our loved ones help us to fulfil this purpose. But on close introspection, we treat our relations rather poorly. We neglect how our dear ones feel when we point out their mistakes or give advice. One way to cherish our bonds is to learn how to give advice properly. Corrective feedback is an art. In this blog, we will try to understand the basics of this art. 

The steps we cover include a set of questions that you have to ask yourself whenever you want to give someone a piece of advice. 
 

1. Am I the right person to give advice?
   There are some people to whom you should never offer corrective feedback, even if you have an impulse to give one. For example, will you advise someone else's child if they make a mistake? Or will it be appropriate for you to correct your grandparents? whether you are the right person to counsel someone else is as important as giving the right advice. 
    
2. Do I have the right motive?
   Why do you want to correct this person? Is it because you have a grudge towards him? Or is it because the person is not behaving the way you want?  When our motive focuses on us than their well-being, we should pause and evaluate our motive before proceeding further. 
    
3. Do I know the right way to present the suggestion?
   How you propose a particular thing is more important than what you say. So if you don't have a proper plan to present the ideas of correction, you shouldn't give any advice. 
    
4. Is it the right time?
   The time we choose to express our opinion can considerably affect how others perceive the concepts we suggest. Doing the right thing at the wrong time will do no good. So, assess whether the time is right before giving advice.

Taking time to ask these questions before offering others advice will significantly change our perspective of life and also helps us to understand our companions deeply. This in turn will enable us to have profound interpersonal relationships. So, next time when you advise someone, do consider asking this question before you offer your guidance.