Feedback is a really valuable development tool for all, without it we don’t know whether we are getting it right or missing the mark completely, but it’s often something that we are uncomfortable doing, particularly when it’s constructive and less than amazing.
These tips should help you focus on giving great feedback that’s of real value to the recipient:
- Plan – Think about what to say and how to say it. How would you like to hear it?
- Location – Think about where you are giving this feedback – in an open office with all their colleagues listening is probably not appropriate
- Focus – on the action or behaviour not the person, it won’t feel like a personal attack then
- Be Specific – don’t generalise but relate it to a specific action or activity
- Balance it – don’t make it all constructive criticism, but balance it with what worked well and what needs some work
- Be considerate – Think about how you would like to hear feedback, show respect for the recipient and ensure that your reasons for the giving the feedback are genuine and not impulsive. Remember not everyone is comfortable with receiving feedback, particularly when it’s not all glowingly positive.
- Allow – the recipient to reflect on the feedback and ask questions, be supportive, offer them the opportunity to come back and speak to you about it once they have had time to consider the conversation.
When we receive quality feedback, delivered in the right way, we are naturally enabled to, receive it, process it and make changes that have an impact as a result- so what feedback will you give today and how will you do it?
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Article by Hayley Oats
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