Are you interested in hearing about how others view your work? Make it easy for them to tell you, because if they think you'll appreciatively consider their feedback, you'll get lots more. And, that is a positive really.
Feedback is information given to an individual or a group about their behaviour and its impact or consequence.
It is obviously easier to give positive feedback, but corrective or constructive feedback should not be avoided. Corrective feedback should be viewed as ‘feedback for improvement’ and not as a sign of failure.
Destructive feedback refers to feedback which is given in an unskilled way which leaves the recipient simply feeling bad with nothing upon which to build and no options for using the learning.
In order to give effective feedback, consider and 'feel' what its like to be the receiver of feedback. Her are 10 tips for receiving feedback with dignity.
- Control your need for defensiveness. Fear of hurting you or having to deal with defensive or justifying behaviour make people hesitant to give feedback to another person.
- Listen to understand. Practice all the skills of an effective listener including using body language and facial expressions that encourage the other person to talk.
- Try to suspend judgment. After all, in learning the views of the feedback provider, you learn about yourself and how your actions are interpreted in the world.
- Summarise and reflect what you hear. Your feedback provider will appreciate that you are really hearing what they are saying. You are ascertaining that you 'are' really hearing.
- Ask questions to clarify. Focus on questions to make sure you understand the feedback.
- Ask for examples and stories that illustrate the feedback, so you know you share meaning with the person providing feedback.
- Just because a person gives you feedback, doesn't mean their feedback is right. They see your actions but interpret them through their own perceptual screen and life experiences.
- Be approachable. People avoid giving feedback to ‘grumpies’. Your openness to feedback is obvious through your body language, facial expressions, and welcoming manner.
- Check with others to determine the reliability of the feedback. If only one person believes it about you, it may be just him or her, not you.
- Remember, only you have the right and the ability to decide what to do with the feedback.
PINNACLE Business Solutions conduct half day and 1 day training for managers and leaders on how to give and receive feedback…want to know more? Give us a call or email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
