Situation · Work
“My employee cries whenever I give feedback”
What could be going on
Rejection sensitivity: Fits if they expect and overreact to rejection.
Shame: Fits if feedback feels like a verdict on them, not the work.
Rejection sensitive dysphoria: Fits if criticism triggers sudden, intense emotional pain.
Defectiveness/shame schema: Fits if they feel fundamentally flawed.
Window of tolerance: Fits if feedback pushes them past what they can handle.
Stress response and allostatic load: Check whether life outside work is piling on.
Questions to carry
- Which sentence came right before the tears, the last time it happened?
- When the tears come, what do I do with the rest of the feedback?
Also said as
- she gets upset at the smallest criticism
- my staff member takes everything to heart
- how do I give feedback to someone sensitive
- my report gets emotional in one-to-ones
- my report breaks down in tears during reviews
- my employee gets upset whenever I correct her