How To Make Feedback a Developmental Opportunity
There are some simple steps you can take to make sure the message has been received and will be put to good use.
Many employees cringe at the thought of getting feedback from their manager. Who wouldn’t blame them? It tends to be overly critical, given with haste and without care, and confusing. So often, the feedback given is often useless to the receiver.
Wouldn’t it be great if your feedback could have the potential to help others grow and develop?
There are some simple steps you can take to make sure the feedback message has been received and will be put to good use as a learning tool.
Be direct: Say what you need to say in a direct, brief way. Don’t beat around the bush, and don’t embellish. Simply state what you’ve observed in a way that will be understood by the receiver. To decrease defensiveness, speak from the first person: “I noticed...” or “I was told...” rather than “You did not...” or “You were wrong when…”
Don’t be judgmental: While you’re being direct and to the point, avoid stating judgments about the feedback you’re giving. Being non-judgmental and neutral in your feedback may help the person you’re counseling be more open and less defensive.
Listen without interrupting: Once you give the feedback, let the receiver say what they need to say without your interruption. This is hard when emotions are high, but your listening ear can de-escalate the situation and help the receiver to think through the feedback they’ve been given as they speak.
Show empathy: It’s easy to assume an evil intent of the person you’re giving feedback to, but realistically, we never know what’s inside someone’s mind that motivates them to do something. Do your best to put yourself in their shoes and see their errors from their standpoint; validate their experience if you can. This doesn’t mean you agree, it simply means you understand them.
Ask them what they will do: A big part of their learning is to figure out what to do with the feedback they’ve received. You can help them think through the situation going forward by asking them how they will deal with it if it happens again. Do your part by letting them know you will support them.
Follow up: Revisit the situation at an agreed-upon time and date. Encourage them in every way you can to help them to stay on top of the situation without personally meddling in problem solving yourself. Show them that you trust them and ask them if they need your help.
Feedback can be the beginning of development for many people. Do your part to help them learn from the information you provide by being direct, non-judgmental, listening well, showing empathy, helping them to think through next steps, and following up with them.