Give Feedback To Someone Who Does Not Take It Well

You know exactly what you need to say and you also know it is going to land badly, because it always does with this person. This scripts the opening, the feedback itself in observable facts rather than judgements, and responses to the defensive reactions you can already predict. For managers who have had this conversation go wrong before.

<context>
You manage {TEAM_MEMBER_ROLE}, who tends to get defensive or upset when given feedback, even when it is delivered gently. The issue you need to raise is: [missed two deadlines this month without flagging it early].
</context>

<task>
**Draft a feedback conversation plan:**
1. Open with a script for the first thirty seconds that sets a calm, non-confrontational tone
2. Give the specific feedback using observable facts, not character judgements
3. Anticipate two likely defensive reactions and provide a response to each
4. Close with a concrete, mutually agreed next step
</task>
<output_format>
A script broken into Opening, Feedback, Handling Pushback, Closing. Natural spoken language, not corporate phrasing.
</output_format>