True success hinges on mastering the art of feedback, and it’s NOT just feedback from a leader to a team member. It's from team member to leader, from team member to team member … Giving and receiving feedback is a two-way street, a continuous loop fueling growth and unlocking potential.
Why feedback matters:
Ignites Performance
Timely, specific feedback supports refining skills, learning from mistakes, and course-correcting. Seeing progress fuels motivation and keeps everyone on track.
Unleashes Potential
It's not just a top-down affair. Upward feedback provides invaluable insights into how your leadership impacts the team, allowing you to adjust and improve.
Builds Trust & Safety
Open, honest feedback fosters trust and psychological safety. Team members feel valued and comfortable sharing ideas, concerns, and successes.
Communicate Like Champions
Regular feedback discussions boost healthy communication. We learn to articulate needs and give constructive feedback to peers, strengthening team dynamics.
Most of us are much more comfortable "having a conversation" with someone, as opposed to "giving feedback." But these four feedback best practices can help turn a humdrum conversation into a truly valuable feedback exchange:
1.Structure, But Don't Script: Create a framework for your chat, but leave room for open, flowing dialogue.
2. Be Specific. Be Kind: Avoid vague praise or criticism, such as a generic "good job" or "make it more exciting." Using concrete examples (like "I like the way you phrased the first paragraph.")and actionable advice (such as "Please add an anecdote here.") will have maximum impact.
3. Ask, Listen, Understand: Encourage dialogue and active listening. See their perspective before offering feedback. If you start a feedback conversation by asking, "How do YOU think that went?" you give the recipient a chance to evaluate their own work first. Then you can build on that evaluation.
4. Make It a Two-Way Street: Be receptive to upward feedback and use it to grow as a leader.
Remember: Feedback is a gift, not a weapon. By mastering the art of giving and receiving feedback, you create an environment where feedback and improvement are a normal and expected way of doing things.
Scott Burgmeyer
