How about some feedback? Hey, hang on!
We generally dislike facing our shortcomings. However, when delivered thoughtfully and received constructively, feedback can serve as a catalyst for creating a healthy work environment and boosting productivity and engagement.
By understanding the reasons behind the aversion to feedback and mastering the art of giving and receiving criticism, we can create a culture where it is valued as a pathway to improvement and success.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the nuances of feedback and equip you with respective methodologies and techniques.
The Essence of Feedback
Feedback is information or responses about a person’s performance or behavior, intended to improve future performance.
It can be positive, constructive, or negative and serves as a growth and development tool.
Feedback can come from various sources, such as supervisors, peers, or even oneself, and it plays a crucial role in personal and professional development.
Benefits of Constructive Feedback
So, what exactly is so great about feedback? Let’s see how team leaders can use it to influence communication and work inside their team or group.
- Quicker growth. At its core, feedback provides people with valuable insights into their performance, behavior, and impact. Whether it’s praise for a job well done or constructive criticism aimed at improvement, feedback offers a roadmap for growth.
- Enhanced performance. Constructive input from managers, peers, and clients helps workers understand expectations, identify areas of improvement, and align their efforts with organizational goals. This, in turn, leads to enhanced productivity, higher-quality output, and a culture of continuous improvement within the workplace.
- Collaboration and trust. When employees feel that their input is valued and their efforts are recognized, it strengthens their commitment to the organization. Moreover, open communication channels for feedback encourage collaboration and teamwork, as people feel empowered to share ideas and perspectives without fear of retribution.
- Easy adaptation. By receiving input from diverse sources, your team members can gain new perspectives and insights that can inform their decision-making processes. This continuous learning loop enables them to adapt to changing circumstances, embrace new challenges, and stay ahead in an ever-evolving environment.
- Personal development. Whether feedback is provided in the form of mentorship, coaching, or performance evaluations, receiving input from others helps trainees gain self-awareness, identify blind spots, and develop a growth mindset. Constructive feedback empowers them to take ownership of their development and strive for excellence in their endeavors.
- Organizational improvement. By gathering input from employees, customers, and stakeholders, organizations can identify operational inefficiencies, refine products and services, and enhance customer satisfaction. This iterative process of feedback-driven improvement is vital for staying competitive in today’s dynamic business landscape.
All of the above make people on the team more engaged in the work process. You might notice they show more involvement and loyalty once giving feedback becomes a regular practice.
Why Nobody Likes Giving and Getting Feedback
Notwithstanding the foregoing, there are situations when most people find giving and receiving feedback, uncomfortable and challenging.
One reason why feedback is unpopular is the fear of conflict. We naturally worry about damaging relationships or hurting out opponents’ feelings when providing criticism.
Besides that, many individuals lack the skills needed to deliver feedback effectively. Without proper training or guidance, feedback can come across as vague, harsh, or unhelpful.
Receiving feedback can be tough because it challenges our self-perception and triggers our ego. Even constructive criticism can feel like a personal attack, leading to defensiveness and resistance.
And the last but not least are our past experiences with poorly delivered feedback. These can create negative associations with the process. People may avoid giving or receiving feedback to prevent similar unpleasant interactions.
So how can we make our feedback helpful and foster positive change and growth?
Becoming a good critic is not just about pointing out flaws but about guiding others towards growth, learning, and excellence. It’s a skill worth honing for both personal and professional relationships.
Read on to learn more!
7 Feedback Techniques to Help You Stay Constructive
Feedback techniques are methods used to deliver feedback effectively. Each technique has its own strengths and is suited for different situations and types of feedback.
#1 Sandwich Method
This technique involves starting and ending the feedback with positive comments (the bread) while placing constructive criticism (the filling) in the middle. The idea is to soften the impact of negative evaluation by surrounding it with positives.
The sandwich method helps maintain a positive relationship while addressing areas for improvement. However, it may come across as insincere if overused.
Pro Tip: Use this technique sparingly and ensure that the positive comments are genuine and specific.
#2 DESC Model
DESC stands for Describe, Express, Specify, and Consequences. This model is used to objectively describe the behavior, express your feelings about it, specify what you would like to see change and explain the consequences of the behavior.
This approach helps maintain clarity, but the focus on consequences might create a defensive response.
Pro Tip: Practice active listening when using this model to ensure the recipient feels heard and understood.
#3 EDGE Model
EDGE stands for Explain, Describe, Give an Example. This model is a structured way to provide feedback by explaining the context, describing the behavior or issue, and giving specific examples to illustrate your point.
It lets the peers introduce important details and provide the bird’s eye view of the situation. However, there’s a risk of over-explaining, leading to information overload.
Pro Tip: Tailor the level of detail based on the recipient’s preferences and the specific situation.
#4 360-Degree Feedback
This technique involves collecting feedback from multiple sources, such as peers, subordinates, supervisors, and even customers. It provides a comprehensive view of an individual’s performance from various perspectives.
It provides a comprehensive view of an individual’s performance, helps in identifying blind spots, and promotes a culture of openness and feedback.
Though sometimes collecting and analyzing feedback from multiple sources can be quite time-consuming.
Pro Tip: Ensure anonymity in the process to encourage honest and candid feedback from all stakeholders.
#5 CAS Model
CAS stands for Context, Action, Result. This model is used to structure feedback by providing context for the behavior or issue, describing the actions taken, and outlining the results or outcomes achieved.
It provides a clear structure for discussing behavior or issues by offering context, actions taken, and results achieved.
Unfortunately, it might feel overly focused on outcomes rather than the underlying behaviors or causes, potentially missing important nuances.
Pro Tip: Use the CAS model to provide a comprehensive overview of specific situations or projects to effectively highlight actions and results.
#6 SBI Model
SBI stands for Situation, Behavior, Impact. This model is used to deliver feedback by describing the specific situation, detailing the observed behavior, and explaining the impact of that behavior on others or the organization.
The model focuses on specific behaviors and highlights their impact. However, this form of feedback might feel formulaic if not delivered with genuine concern, and it may not address underlying issues effectively.
Pro Tip: Balance the SBI model with genuine empathy and understanding to ensure a supportive feedback conversation.
#7 GROW Model
GROW stands for Goal, Reality, Options, Will. This coaching model is used to facilitate personal and professional development by helping individuals set goals, assess their current reality, explore options for improvement, and commit to taking action.
Such feedback facilitates personal and professional development but might be less effective when addressing specific behavioral issues or performance problems.
Pro Tip: Use this model for training and development conversations rather than for delivering corrective feedback.
Tips on Providing and Receiving Feedback
Each form of feedback has its own advantages and disadvantages, and the most effective approach often depends on the specific context and individuals involved. But still, there are tips that will help you prepare for a feedback session regardless the model applied.
Take into account this simple advice on what to do and what not to do when providing feedback and receiving it.
Tips on Providing Feedback
- First, avoid anything that can be heard as blaming or judging: you want to motivate people and show them area for improvement, not the opposite. Always explain your team how open communication about possible improvements is a win-win situation. Mention their strengths first, after which you can point an aspect they can work on more.
- Make sure you’re specific and use evidence. Your employees should know exactly what aspect of the project you’re talking about, what they did wrong, and how it can be improved. For this reason, it’s important to utilize hard evidence, such as time tracking and employee progress data that display how much time each worker uses to complete tasks and which activities they engage in on the way. These data may be collected with actiTIME – a smart timesheet tool with a powerful reporting and task management functionality. It can help you monitor team performance in real time and gather data to inform your feedback.
- Give people time to understand your feedback and make sure to receive their responses. They should be comfortable with sharing how they feel about it. Be open-minded and take into account your team members’ points of view.
- Don’t forget to let them be part of the problem-solving process. Even if you already have a specific solution in mind, hear them out, then share your proposal using some of their words or ideas.
- It is not uncommon that people aren’t actually sure what happened or what their next step should be. That’s why you should ask questions in the end and see if the other person received your message. Follow up after a few days to see how they are doing and whether there’s still an issue.
- Last but not least, encourage team members to provide feedback as well. Leave your ego behind, ask them if they have something to add about your performance and role as a manager, and carefully listen to what they have to say. Let them give examples too so you can see what exactly they mean, then discuss this openly and together to find a way to make it work and use the feedback effectively.
Tips on Receiving Feedback
- No matter what feedback you expect, approach it with an open mind, understanding that it is an opportunity for growth. Avoid becoming defensive or dismissive of the feedback given.
- Ask clarifying questions and request specific examples or further explanation to gain a better understanding of the points being made.
- Regardless of whether the feedback is positive or constructive, express gratitude for the insights provided. This encourages a culture of open communication and trust.
- Take time to reflect on the feedback before responding. Consider how you can use the feedback to improve and grow.
- Be proactive and seek feedback from various sources to gain different perspectives on your performance and behavior. This demonstrates a commitment to personal growth and improvement and characterizes you as a perspective employee.
The Importance of Feedback
Promoting feedback in a team should be your next move. Make room (and plan time!) for it in the process of planning your future activities. Take into account that, in fact, feedback should be present at every step. Give your team time to get used to this new, open-minded and feedback-friendly environment.
