The art of giving and receiving feedback
Giving and receiving feedback well is an art and one of the most important necessities for any organization. In the absence of good feedback, it is impossible to determine where an individual, team or project stands. While the concept of feedback is well-understood, it is not always implemented with optimal effectiveness. No matter how well intentioned, comprehensive and precise the feedback you have been giving or receiving may be, the effectiveness of its delivery and the impact it has on the receiver matter, too. If the feedback does not impact the receiver in the intended way, it becomes useless. Feedback is equally useless if the receiver does not know what to do with the feedback they receive.
In this guide, Bayt.com, the Middle East’s leading job site, will cover how to optimize given or received feedback in a way that makes it more meaningful and proactive.
Giving feedback
* Evaluate Your Intentions
It is tempting to link your criticisms to personality flaws, but you shouldn’t. Doing so would cross the line from professional to personal. You need to remember that your sole responsibility is to comment on behavior and performance. Focusing the attention on the person’s actions creates a separation between the problems you are raising and their identity, which helps them focus on what you are saying instead of feeling personally confronted.
You should also consider the reason you are giving feedback. Even if it is for an annual performance review, you should ask yourself where your feedback is coming from, and with what purpose. Solely giving feedback to appease a third party is not good enough. Instead, your aim when giving feedback should be to guide the other person and express concern and support. This will help ensure that the feedback is sincere, which, in turn, will be easier to accept.
* Lead with questions
Beginning the conversation by asking the receiver questions helps ease some of the nerves and tension. Before launching into your assessment, ask them how they think they have been performing. Allowing them to assess themselves first will give them joint ownership of the feedback process and give you some added perspective on the employee.
* Constructive criticism sandwich
An effective method of giving feedback is to pack it together in what is referred to as a constructive criticism sandwich. Instead of leading with the problem, you first dilute its potency by giving praise first, then addressing the problem then finishing off with more praise. The more positively feedback is framed the more likely it is that the receiver will work on making the changes you want to see.
Receiving feedback * Request feedback often
The best way to prepare for criticism and not be caught off guard by it is to ask for feedback openly and often. Avoid being caught off guard by a shocking piece of information at the end of the year by inviting feedback often from those you trust and whose opinion you respect as well as your direct report. This will allow you to take the steps to make the necessary changes ahead of time.
You should ask questions about your performance, such as ‘How do you think I can handle my tasks more effectively?’ or ‘If you had to give two suggestions for improving my work what would they be?’
* Reflect before responding
After the person speaking to you is done giving feedback, and only then, you need to think about how to respond. It might be tempting to become defensive or “explain away” the criticism, but you must listen deeply and then ask thoughtful follow-up questions. If you feel that you are unable to respond immediately, ask for some time to reflect on what you have heard and tackle it one element at a time. Acknowledge the points they have made and ensure the other person feels that you have listened to them and considered their point of view.
* Be dynamic
While most of us have a hard time receiving feedback, especially if it is negative, there are some people out there who thrive on feedback. These types of people have what is called a growth mindset. What this means is that they embrace challenges, persist in the face of obstacles, see trial-and-error as the path to mastery, learn from criticism and find lessons and inspiration in the knowledge of others. As a result, these types of people tend to grow more and achieve greater success than those with a static or ‘fixed’ mindset.
The growth mindset can be developed by starting small, learning from failures and slowly gaining confidence and expertise with each new step taken. Think of it as learning an instrument. You won’t immediately know what to do, and your performance will be very basic at first. But, by keeping at it, practicing and trying frequently, you will eventually master the instrument. Similarly, by learning from your mistakes and trying new ways to succeed, you, too, will become a master at what you do.
Lastly, you should embrace failure. It is in our nature not to accept criticism that challenges the way we view ourselves and it may be tempting to blame your shortcomings on external factors. However, embracing failure is an excellent way to make good use of the feedback you receive and to grow more in your career.