If you have praise to give as part of your feedback, then include that, but make sure that it’s genuine. People can generally sense if you don’t mean it and are just being nice to soften the blow. 

Some managers are hesitant to give negative feedback to direct reports who may have different identities from them; this typically stems from a fear of being misinterpreted or perceived as discriminatory. However, not giving honest feedback can be more harmful and inequitable, as all employees deserve honest, straightforward information so that they can develop and advance professionally. We will continue to explore these issues and the many types of power dynamics in a future article.

Learn more in our resource, Effective Feedback: Two Models for Managers