Open with genuine, specific appreciation to set a collaborative tone, and clarify up front that this is shared reflection and development, not a grading exercise. Use two-way dialogue — reflective questions like “What classroom routine felt smoothest for you this quarter, and why?” — and discuss strengths before pivoting to one or two priority growth areas. Give actionable, strength-based feedback without sugarcoating the areas that genuinely need work, and anchor every point in observable behavior rather than personality. Practice active listening, and use open discovery questions — “What was your biggest hurdle during small-group time, and what support would help?” — to surface what the employee is actually experiencing.