THE THE EMPLOYEE’S EMPLOYEE’S GUIDE GUIDE TO TO EFFECTIVE EFFECTIVE
FEEDBACK
The Right Feedback Mindset Many employees mistakenly see feedback simply as the company’s way of assessing who gets a raise, a promotion or who gets fired. You may have noticed that this mindset can elicit different reactions in your team members. When people are overconfident in their abilities they may see feedback as a waste of time and as a confirmation of what they already know. For others, the idea of being individually scrutinized can be extremely nerve wracking. Going into a performance review with this type of mindset will prevent you from seeing feedback for what it really is: an opportunity for improvement.
The Employee’s Guide to Effective Feedback What do I get out of feedback?
Most employees only receive feedback once a year. This can leave you in the dark about whether you are on the right track. Feedback can be a guide to understanding your manager’s expectations and more importantly, can be a chance to improve your performance. Imagine you keep encountering the same obstacle to your work and don’t receive advice on how to resolve the issue until your annual performance review. Once you’ve made a change, you then have to wait until the next year to hear whether the changes you made were effective. Feedback is not just useful to identify areas for improvement, it can also give you ideas on how to streamline your work and set new goals for yourself.
https://www.impraise.com/
Even if your work output and quality are top notch, being a top performer is also dependent on your interpersonal skills. Sara Canaday, author of “You -- According to Them: Uncovering the blindspots that impact 4
Content
2. Bring them into the discussion 3. Ask for feedback in return 4. Put yourself in their shoes > Summary and take-aways
#1 The right feedback mindest mindset
3
> What do I get out of feedback? > Changing your mindset 1. Ask for more feedback, not less! 2. Find the yoda to your performance master 3. Process your feedback into professional development gold 4. Give back > Summary and take-aways
4 5 6 7 7 8 8
#2 Giving positive feedback
9
> How your relationship with your colleagues impacts your career > Why should I give positive feedback to colleagues? > Why should I give positive feedback to my manager? > Steps to giving effective positive feedback: 1. When to give positive feedback 2. Delivery 3. Where to give positive feedback 4. Timing is important 5. Encourage your team members to achieve more > Summary and take-aways
10 11 12 13 13 14 14 15 15 15
#3 Giving constructive feedback > When someone asks for feedback > When they don’t ask for feedback > When it’s your boss > How do Ii give constructive feedback effectively? 1. Work on delivery 1
#4 Receiving positive feedback
20 20 21 21
22
> Why is it important to learn how to accept positive feedback well? 1. Accept your positive feedback 2. How to respond 3. Extract important information 4. Discuss how you can keep improving > Summary and take-aways
24 24 25 25 26
#5 Receiving constructive feedback
27
> Why constructive feedback is your best friend > How to avoid going into defensive mode when receiving constructive feedback > Steps to help you manage your emotions: 1. Set professional goals for yourself 2. Ask questions 3. Analyze patterns and tendencies 4. Develop a strategy 5. Share your plan and ask for advice and support > Summary and take-aways
23
28 29 30 30 30 31 32 32 33
16 17 18 19 20 20 2
The Right Feedback Mindset
#1 The Right Feedback Mindset ASK FOR MORE FEEDBACK, NOT LESS! FIND THE YODA TO YOUR PERFORMANCE MASTER PROCESS YOUR FEEDBACK INTO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GOLD GIVE BACK
Many employees mistakenly see feedback simply as the company’s way of assessing who gets a raise, a promotion or who gets fired. You may have noticed that this mindset can elicit different reactions in your team members. When people are overconfident in their abilities they may see feedback as a waste of time and as a confirmation of what they already know. For others, the idea of being individually scrutinized can be extremely nerve wracking. Going into a performance review with this type of mindset will prevent you from seeing feedback for what it really is: an opportunity for improvement.
What do I get out of feedback? Most employees only receive feedback once a year. This can leave you in the dark about whether you are on the right track. Feedback can be a guide to understanding your manager’s expectations and more importantly, can be a chance to improve your performance. Imagine you keep encountering the same obstacle to your work and don’t receive advice on how to resolve the issue until your annual performance review. Once you’ve made a change, you then have to wait until the next year to hear whether the changes you made were effective. Feedback is not just useful to identify areas for improvement, it can also give you ideas on how to streamline your work and set new goals for yourself. Even if your work output and quality are top notch, being a top performer is also dependent on your interpersonal skills. Sara Canaday, author of “You -- According to Them: Uncovering the blindspots that impact
3
4
your reputation and your career”, asserts that one of the most important things you can learn from feedback is the inadvertent behavior you may be displaying in the workplace. Do people see you as highly productive and innovative or rebellious and uncooperative? Decisive and candid or abrupt and insensitive? Misperceptions in the workplace are common and can lead to a destructive atmosphere if not addressed. This is where getting peer feedback can be most helpful. Using it to identify when your actions are being misinterpreted will help you to adjust the signals you are sending others.
Changing your mindset You know going to the gym is good for you, but leaving the comfort of your couch after a long day of work can result in an internal battle. Similarly, even if you know feedback is good for you, it can still be uncomfortable or even intimidating to put yourself out there. Carol Dweck, Stanford psychologist and author of “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success”, suggests that this comes down to a change in mindset. According to her research, people with a fixed mindset see their abilities as static. When they are given feedback they are more likely to see it as an affront to their set character and intelligence, making them defensive rather than open to constructive criticism. Alternatively, those with a growth mindset see their abilities as malleable traits that are meant to be constantly improved. To figure out which type of mindset you have, think about the last time you received constructive criticism. Did you try to argue against the feedback you were given? Did you feel embarrassed or emotional? If so, these are signs that you may display a fixed mindset. If instead you normally seek out constructive comments, and see feedback as a way to see a project in a new light or fix any holes, you most likely have a growth based mindset. One of the key differences is that people with a 5
growth mindset are able to see performance reviews as an opportunity to learn. Their ability to process feedback in this way also makes them less afraid of making mistakes, leaving more room for innovation. The same goes for your company. It’s not enough to create one great product and hope it stands the test of time, instead it’s important to constantly innovate and reassess based on customer reviews (aka feedback). As an employee you will not only need to adjust your attitude towards receiving feedback, but will also have to become comfortable giving it. Giving more feedback is useful in transitioning to a growth mindset as it encourages you to see feedback from the reviewer’s perspective, as well meaning advice on your performance. If giving your manager constructive feedback still seems intimidating, not to worry, most apps allow you to give anonymous feedback. However, anonymity should not be misused to give exclusively positive (or for that matter dangerously negative) comments. In the ongoing shift towards a feedback culture, learning how to give effective positive and constructive feedback will become more important than ever. The ability to in uence improvements to the work environment is up for grabs, and those with a growth mindset will benefit the most. If you feel you may still be harboring some fixed mindset tendencies, here are some steps that will help change your perspective: 1. Ask for more feedback, not less! Now that we’ve explained why feedback is so important for your professional development, how do you go about getting it You don’t have to wait for an annual review to get feedback. Ask for feedback more often to get more comfortable with receiving it, and to help you ‘update’ improvements to your performance. It’s important to remember that many people are just as uncomfortable giving feedback as they are 6
receiving it. Asking more specific questions about your performance will help you glean better information. For example, asking yes or no questions can be useful when you need a straightforward answer, while open-ended questions allow you to extract more detailed information. Targeted questions will also encourage others to give you an honest assessment and signal to them that you really want their opinion – be it positive or constructive. For more advice on how to ask for feedback see here. 2. Find the yoda to your performance master You don’t have to rely on your manager also seek out senior employees and peers who can act as coaches. This can be beneficial in giving you a different perspective on your performance from people who may work with you more directly. The best way to get insightful feedback is to ask for it after completing a specific project or task so your performance will still be fresh in their mind. Also be sure to explain what you’re looking for. For example, if you have difficulties speaking in public, send a message to your intended reviewer right after giving a presentation. Explain to them that public speaking is something you feel uncomfortable with and ask them to evaluate the delivery of your presentation. A word of caution, it may be tempting to ask people you know will only give you positive feedback. While praise is also helpful in learning what your strengths are, it is important to identify any practices that might be inhibiting your work. The best feedback comes from experienced colleagues who will be honest and objective in their assessment.
tive criticism, it’s important to take some time to read and analyze the results, then plan effective changes to your work style. See the following guides on receiving positive and constructive feedback to help you process your results. 4. Give back If you receive helpful feedback from your manager or a peer return the favor. As employees are encouraged more and more to give feedback, take advantage of being on the other side of the review process. The ability to give effective feedback is a powerful tool that can help to diffuse tensions between colleagues when working on a team project, or allow you to point out concerns to your manager. Furthermore, giving others feedback will encourage you to see your own performance reviews differently. Learn more about giving effective feedback in our following guides.
Summary and take-aways Make the most out of your performance reviews by changing your mindset towards the way you perceive feedback. Rather than going on the defensive, learn to see feedback as a way to develop and improve your professional and interpersonal skills. Steps to follow: • • • • •
Ask for feedback more often Ask targeted questions to get more insightful feedback Identify potential mentors amongst senior employees and peers Analyze, plan and execute changes to your work style Give effective feedback to others
3. Process your feedback into professional development gold It’s not enough just to get more feedback, it’s what you do with this information that will help you see results. Whether positive or construc7
8
Giving Positive Feedback
#2 Giving Positive Feedback WHEN TO GIVE POSITIVE FEEDBACK DELIVERY WHERE TO GIVE POSITIVE FEEDBACK TIMING IS IMPORTANT
Whether or not you like socializing with your co-workers, the fact remains that they are the people you will likely spend most of your time with. If you’re close friends with your colleagues that’s great, if not you still need to find a way to collaborate with them on various assignments. Even if your field of work puts a competitive edge on your relationship with them, having a good rapport with people in the office can have a major impact on the work environment and, ultimately, your productivity. Recognizing your colleagues’ achievements with positive feedback can be a great way to promote a harmonious atmosphere in the workplace. If given correctly, it can help you encourage positive behavior, show appreciation and develop better relations with co-workers and managers. You may already be giving common words of encouragement to colleagues like “good work” and “great team player”, but are unsure how to formulate these into actionable pieces of information. This guide will teach you how to give positive feedback that’s honest and helpful.
ENCOURAGE YOUR TEAM MEMBERS TO ACHIEVE MORE
How your relationship with your colleagues impacts your career You may not be giving very much positive feedback to your colleagues because you assume the responsibility rests primarily with your manager. While this may be true, your co-workers have a much stronger impact on the quality of your work environment than you may realize. According to a series of studies on the impact of employee relationships in the workplace by Cornerstone On emand with orthwestern Uni9
104
versity, employees are 54% more likely to quit if they have a “toxic” employee on their team. Alternatively, people who have friends in the workplace (three or more) were more likely to stay at their current job longer. Interestingly, another study by Sociometric Solutions found that people who had lunchtime interactions with more colleagues were 36% more productive during the week and exhibited 30% lower stress levels. When you think about it the results of these studies may not be that surprising. Your co-workers are the people you let off steam with during breaks, they know more details about what you do on a daily basis than your family or friends and your professional success is often tied to how well you collaborate with them. When you’re not getting along with a teammate your stress levels go up and it becomes much more difficult to get work done. Taking some time to create a positive relationship with your colleagues goes a long way.
Why should I give positive feedback to colleagues? A 2014 report by TI Ypulse revealed that the top reason for employees to go the extra mile is peer motivation and camaraderie (money and benefits only reaching seventh place . Giving positive feedback is a simple way to show appreciation to your co-workers and foster positive relations. Recognizing each other’s achievements can create a strong feeling of acceptance and solidarity. Furthermore, when you need to give colleagues constructive feedback they’ll be more receptive to it if they see you also notice their achievements, promoting open honest communication. Giving positive feedback can help encourage others to share their ideas. Everyone in the workplace will have a different personality. Two common personality types are introverts and extroverts. When extroverts have an idea they’re happy to share it with everyone in the room. Alternatively, introverts may be more hesitant to share their thoughts, fear11
ing the spotlight. Generally being good listeners, it just may be that they’ve formulated a winning strategy for how your team can overcome an obstacle, but are reluctant to speak up. This makes it particularly important to provide encouragement when introverts accomplish an achievement. eceiving confirmation about their abilities can make them more apt to participate in meetings, allowing your team to benefit from a wider pool of ideas. Read more about personality and how you can break down barriers to giving feedback. Similarly, new employees may need support when starting a new career. One of the best ways to get it is by asking more established employees for advice. If your first response when approached by a junior colleague in need of feedback is to stick to lines like “good job”, take a step back and reconsider. What will they get out of your feedback? Does it tell them what they did right? Think back to the kind of advice you were given or would like to have been given when you first started. While it doesn’t give them anything to work with, using common phrases may also sound like you didn’t put any real thought into their performance. In that way, giving generic praise can be almost as bad as not giving any at all. Keep in mind that the ability to give positive feedback is a useful skill for your own professional growth. Have you ever thought about applying for a management role in the future? Giving positive feedback is an important part of being a leader. Starting now can help you become more comfortable delivering it in a timely and effective manner.
Why should I give positive feedback to my manager? As with your co-workers, positive feedback is a good way to encourage actions you’d like to see your manager take more often. Many em12
ployees worry that giving their manager positive feedback may simply come across as an attempt to get ahead in their career. However, if given properly you’ll be able to candidly share your opinions about their management style and how it impacts the workplace. For example, it can be used as a way to indicate what you like about the work your boss has given you. Instead of saying “I really enjoy working for you” tell them, “I really enjoy working with people and I was happy that you put me in charge of the customer relations side of our last project.” This comment lets them know both that you would like to continue the same kinds of assignments, and that they’re good at taking their employee’s interests into consideration. It can also be used as encouragement when they’ve improved a behavior you had previously given them constructive feedback on. For example, in the last guide a scenario was given of a boss who doesn’t take other people’s opinions into consideration. If after having spoken with them you see they are actively trying to encourage people to share their thoughts in meetings, you should highlight the impact of their actions. Let them know it’s working by explaining how people feel more comfortable contributing in meetings now.
Steps to giving effective positive feedback: 1. When to give positive feedback Knowing when to give positive feedback is half the battle. Common instances which warrant recognition are when you’ve noticed your colleague demonstrate exceptional skills, when they’ve achieved a personal goal or when they’re in need of encouragement. Keep in mind that reasons for giving feedback should be measured based on the individual, not on the size of the achievement.
13
For example, if you’ve been coaching a junior colleague on their public speaking skills, it’s important to recognize the positive points of their performance after their first presentation. Even if they still need to work on some aspects, positive feedback can give them the encouragement they need to keep practicing. 2. Delivery When formulating your feedback, it’s best to use examples and describe exactly what you found to be positive about their performance. For example, instead of simply telling them they’re good at resolving conicts, explain how impressed you were with the way they mediated a con ict between two colleagues. The more descriptive the easier it’ll be for them to pick out best practices. Also recognize behavior over traits. You shouldn’t attribute your colleague’s success with customers to their natural people skills, but to the fact that they put time into listening and responding to each individual complaint until the customer is satisfied. Highlighting behaviors signals the need to continue working at these skills rather than taking them for granted. 3. Where to give positive feedback When your message is constructive it’s always better to give it in private. Alternatively, giving positive feedback to your colleagues in public can be an even better way to show your appreciation, or boost the receiver’s confidence. owever, be sure to keep in mind the personality of the recipient. If your colleague is more of an introvert they may prefer receiving acknowledgment in private to being put in the spotlight. On the other hand, giving positive feedback to your manager is usually best in private. Giving them honest positive feedback in a private oneon-one or performance review will minimize your hesitancy at seeming too eager to please the boss.
14
4. Timing is important Feedback should be given as soon as possible after an achievement, making it easier for you and the recipient to recall details. If it’s not possible to do this, try to send them a congratulatory message. 5. Encourage your team members to achieve more If it was a senior employee whose coding skills are very impressive, why not ask for some tips? If it’s a junior colleague who’s done well on an assignment, why not suggest they take the lead on the next one?
Summary and take-aways Your co-workers and manager have a major impact on the quality of your work environment. Having a positive relationship with them increases overall productivity and job satisfaction. Giving more encouragement and positive feedback will help you show appreciation, develop leadership skills and build a sense of community within the workplace. • Give positive feedback when a colleague has demonstrated exceptional skills, achieved a personal goal or are in need of encouragement • Use examples and describe behavior over traits • Give recognition to your colleagues in public and your manager in private • Show recognition soon after an achievement • Use feedback to encourage your team members
15 35
#3 Giving Constructive Feedback WORK ON DELIVERY BRING THEM INTO THE DISCUSSION ASK FOR FEEDBACK IN RETURN PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES
16
Giving Constructive Feedback Some of you may cringe at the thought of giving your co-workers constructive feedback. The temptation to simply say “good job” in a 360-degree review always seems like the safest bet, especially when the recipient is known to have a short temper. With companies encouraging their employees to give feedback more often, rather than being wary of the inevitable you should learn to use feedback to your advantage. When given the right way constructive feedback can improve your team’s efficiency and communication, diffuse tensions and build a positive work environment. There are three types of situations in which you might need to provide feedback:
When someone asks for feedback? The easiest situation to deal with is when a colleague asks you for advice. This may be a younger employee who wants to learn from your experience or a fellow team member who simply wants to know how they’re doing. If they’re coming to you it shows that they’re already open to receiving feedback and actively want to develop their professional skills. onetheless, even in this situation you may still find it difficult to be completely honest. As discussed in the previous guide, having a growth mindset will help change your attitude towards both receiving and giving feedback. As an outsider you can provide your co-workers with valuable insights into their performance and point out certain behavior they may not be aware 17
of. If your colleagues feel they can trust you to give honest helpful career advice, they’ll be more likely to follow your suggestions, and feel more comfortable coming to you when there’s a problem. This can lead to greater cohesion within the team and help you build closer relationships with your colleagues. If you’re unsure where to start, try to figure out if they want feedback in a particular area. Your co-worker may already have a specific skill in mind that they’re trying to develop, for example improving their sales pitch or presentation skills. Starting off the conversation by asking them how they’re doing at work or what they thought about the last project they completed can give you clues.
When they don’t ask for feedback Sometimes giving peer-to-peer feedback may be mandatory, as in 360 reviews. Telling someone they did a “good job” or “great work” doesn’t give them valuable information about their performance. Though you may believe opting out in this way spares your colleague the stress of receiving constructive feedback, you may be inadvertently hindering their potential for progress. It may be harder to speak up when your colleague hasn’t formally asked you for feedback, but if given effectively it can be a great way to resolve con icts and get team projects on track. It’s a fact that everyone will have different ways of dealing with deadlines, organization and stress. When working with others these different work styles may clash. For instance, when working on a team project, if one of your colleagues is consistently missing deadlines it’s essential that they understand the impact they’re having on the rest of the team. You may decide to avoid confrontation hoping they’ll correct this behavior on their own. Failing to address the situation, could signal to your co-worker that no one will be too concerned if he misses the dead18
line by a few hours or even days, potentially encouraging a destructive work habit. A common misconception is that giving your peers feedback may come across as patronizing. If you believe that your manager should be the only one giving constructive feedback, keep in mind that they might not always be there to notice detrimental behavior. If they’re only going to review the final product, finishing a team project late will instead re ect badly on everyone. As you’re the one who works alongside them the most, you will have the greatest insight into your colleague’s performance. Following the steps below will help you to deliver your message in a helpful, rather than patronizing way.
When it’s your boss Employees are often too intimidated to give their boss constructive feedback. Instead you should see it as an opportunity to improve how your work is being managed, and point out concerns your boss may not have noticed. Imagine that in meetings your boss has a habit of immediately shooting down employees’ suggestions when they don’t agree with them. Everyone in the room may feel intimidated to speak up, but no one wants to point this out to your boss. In the next meetings, your boss gets angry at what they see as a lack of participation. To overcome this common fear it’s critical to realize that your boss is an employee too and as such they also want to improve their performance. One of the most important parts of their job is maintaining employee retention rates. Receiving feedback allows your manager to check in and work on creating a positive atmosphere in the workplace. Though you may be tempted to give out buckets of gold stars, again, giving only positive feedback will not help them to grow as a leader.
19
How do I give constructive feedback effectively? 1. Work on delivery First start off with positive feedback. Recognizing your colleague’s strengths will help to balance the constructive feedback you’re going to give them and boost their confidence. Steer clear of linking your positive and negative feedback with “but”, “although” or “however” as this can make your compliment sound insincere. To make sure your feedback doesn’t come off as a personal attack, describe behaviors rather than traits. Think of specific examples and base your feedback on observations and facts, rather than judgments. For example, instead of telling them they never listen to others, you could say, “I noticed that when Michael made a suggestion in last week’s meeting you disagreed with him before he finished explaining his idea. A good way to be sure you’re not making it personal is by using verbs instead of adjectives. “Sometimes you interrupt others and forget to leave space for different opinions instead of “You are sometimes bossy and controlling in team meetings.” To read more on delivery see Impraise’s blogpost on ‘How to Give Feedback the Right Way’. 2. Bring them into the discussion There are always two sides to a story. After giving feedback, give the recipient a chance to respond. Maybe they get annoyed when meetings run overtime and have a hard time rejecting ideas diplomatically. This transitions your discussion into a conversation rather than a one-sided review and enables you to confirm they’ve understood your feedback. It’s only at this point when you understand both sides of the situation that you can come up with an effective solution together. 3. Ask for feedback in return Once you’ve given feedback, ask for feedback in return. With this step 20
you can demonstrate that you’re open to constructive advice and value their opinion, putting you on an equal footing. Ask specific questions about your performance to show you really want to hear from them and are not just asking as a formality. For more advice see our guides on receiving positive and constructive feedback. 4. Put yourself in their shoes If you’re still unsure how they’ll take your feedback, put yourself in their shoes. Imagine the situation is reversed. How would you react if your colleague gave you the same feedback? Would you be angry or grateful that someone pointed this out? Keep in mind differences in personality. It might be more difficult for some people to overcome a fixed mindset than others, but if you can honestly say you would not be offended receiving your own feedback, it’s a good sign you’ve planned your delivery well.
Summary and take-aways Employees are being asked for feedback more and more by their colleagues, manager and company. Fear of offending someone may make you more hesitant to give constructive feedback. If you learn how to communicate your feedback effectively you can help your colleagues grow professionally, diffuse office con icts and improve your team’s productivity. • • • • • •
35 21
#4 Receiving Positive Feedback ACCEPT YOUR POSITIVE FEEDBACK HOW TO RESPOND EXTRACT IMPORTANT INFORMATION DISCUSS HOW YOU CAN KEEP IMPROVING
Start with positive feedback Base feedback on observations, facts and examples Use verbs instead of adjectives Listen to their side Ask them to return the favor Put yourself in their shoes
22
Receiving Positive Feedback eceiving positive feedback may seem straightforward isn’t being recognized for your efforts always a good thing? However, some people may have a harder time than others accepting praise. You may be constantly striving for perfection and focused on what you perceive as holes and aws in your performance, however small. Being the center of attention may make you feel uncomfortable and encourage you to downplay your performance. Alternatively, you may accept recognition as a sign that you have reached your peak performance, leading you to stop exercising and improving your strengths. These tips will help you accept recognition appropriately, while gathering valuable information to help identify and enhance your strengths.
Why is it important to learn how to accept positive feedback well? Positive feedback is not just a compliment on a job well done, when analyzed correctly it can help you identify your strengths. Research by Zenger Folkman has revealed that 70-80% of employees and leaders reap greater benefits from improving their strengths versus weaknesses. nowing what your strengths are can be the first step in taking your career to the next level. Even if you believe you already know what your strengths are, they may differ from how your manager perceives your performance. Good managers utilize their employees’ strengths by giving them tasks they feel will be best suited to their skill set and providing opportunities for growth. Analyzing the positive feedback your manager gives you will 35 23
help you to better understand what assignments you may expect in the future and what career track you are heading towards. If you’re happy with the direction you’re heading in that’s great, but if your career track is different from what you envision yourself doing down the line it’s important to speak up and make adjustments. For example, you may be excellent at analyzing data and making spreadsheets but you may secretly find it tedious or feel working in sales will provide more potential for upward mobility. If you don’t voice a desire to try new things you will continue getting work that plays to what others believe are your main strengths. Follow these steps to help you receive positive feedback the right way: 1. Accept your positive feedback Fight the urge to downplay or pick at your performance. Many people have a natural tendency to de ect or dilute a compliment. Though you may feel you’re merely being humble, these tactics will make it seem like you’re not confident in your abilities. earning how to accept positive feedback may actually boost your self-confidence. Even if you didn’t quite reach your target or land your next big client, look at it as the next step in the development of this particular strength. A near win can be an even more powerful motivator than an outright victory if you maintain focus. 2. How to respond The best response is to accept your feedback and thank the reviewer. If you’re still worried about sounding overly confident, remember that you achieved this goal through the hard work you put into it. For example, when someone gives you positive feedback on your social media campaign, try simply saying “thank you, I put in extra time to learn 24
how to use a new social media platform and I feel it really helped.” Embrace your feedback by acknowledging your hard work. Rather than diluting positive feedback with excuses, share it with others. It’s important to recognize co-workers who helped you achieve this success. For example, “Christina taught me how to use a new hosting platform and I feel this greatly contributed to the success of our new blog.” Acknowledging the contribution of your co-workers shows your appreciation towards the team and takes the pressure off. 3. Extract important information It’s not enough to be able to accept positive feedback well, you also need to learn how to use it to your advantage. Think about what exactly your manager or colleague liked about your performance, can you come up with ways to replicate or use this tactic more often? If not you may need to press for further information. If your manager says you did a “great job” on the report you wrote, ask what they liked about it. Getting them to give you examples is especially helpful. If your manager tells you they liked the formatting, readability or graphs you’ll have a good idea of the style you should use in the future.
Most people work best when they have a plan and set goals for themselves. If the feedback is coming from your manager, take advantage of your one-on-one meeting by asking for more challenging assignments or responsibilities to meet these goals. Asking if you can manage the next project, take the lead on the next sales pitch or be given a stretch assignment are all good ways to challenge yourself. Use your strengths to mentor younger employees or others who have difficulty in this area. Give positive feedback and encourage others to do the same.
Summary and take-aways Even after a job well done, some people may still have trouble accepting positive feedback. Learning how to analyze success factors will help you identify and leverage your strengths to advance your career in the right direction. • • • •
Fight the urge to downplay your achievements Recognize your hard work and others who helped you succeed Analyze feedback to learn your strengths Use these strengths to continue improving and help others
If you really feel you need some tips you can also press for more constructive feedback by asking open-ended questions such as, “What do you think I could do differently next time?” 4. Discuss how you can keep improving Now that you’ve learned your strengths, don’t make the mistake of becoming so confident in your abilities that you fail to keep pushing yourself to improve. Remember there will always be room for improvement and take advantage of the knowledge you now have.
25
26
Receiving Constructive Feedback
#5 Receiving Constructive Feedback
Imagine your boss calls you into their office so you can hear the results of your performance or degree review. If your first response is to get angry, stop for a minute and think about the advice you’re being given. Can you honestly think of some instances in which you may have displayed this behavior? Fear of criticism is a common but avoidable reaction. Learning to overcome your inhibitions will enable you to see constructive feedback as an opportunity for growth. Following these steps will help you move from fear of feedback to proactively seeking it on your own.
Why constructive feedback is your best friend SET PROFESSIONAL GOALS FOR YOURSELF ASK QUESTIONS ANALYZE PATTERNS AND TENDENCIES DEVELOP A STRATEGY SHARE YOUR PLAN AND ASK FOR ADVICE AND SUPPORT
Everyone should have goals in mind to guide their professional development. Maybe you feel you want more responsibility, or to aim for a higher position, but aren’t sure what steps you should be taking to prove you can take on more. Feedback can be used as a strategy to achieve these goals. Like pieces of a puzzle, the more feedback you receive the clearer the picture will get. Becoming defensive will only make you miss out on opportunities to excel. Asking for more constructive feedback when all you get is praise takes you from being a good employee to going above and beyond. It demonstrates you’re motivated to work hard and are open to criticism. Being receptive to your colleagues’ feedback also makes you a desirable person to have on team projects. Consider the possibility that others may
27
28 4
sometimes misinterpret your actions. Getting feedback gives you the opportunity to see your actions from an outsider’s perspective and alter them accordingly. For example, imagine your colleague tells you that in the last team meeting you seemed uninterested in everyone else’s opinions. Instead of getting mad, if you ask them for more details you may find out that being on your laptop while others were speaking made your co-workers think you weren’t paying attention to what they had to say. Even if in reality you were taking notes on everybody’s contribution, their perception of the incident may have been different.
How to avoid going into defensive mode when receiving constructive feedback Now that you know why constructive feedback is good for you, imagine you take the initiative to ask for it. Do you feel ready to process the information or can you still feel your eyes start to water and your temperature start to rise? Even if you believe constructive feedback can be good for you, if you still can’t shake the emotional or defensive feeling you get when receiving it, the best remedy is to better understand why you’re feeling this way. Your brain has a natural tendency to go into fight or ight mode when it senses you’re being threatened. The increased amounts of hormones being released into your bloodstream are the cause of your heightened emotion. Receiving negative feedback can also threaten our natural desire to belong. Hunter-gatherers depended on being a part of groups for protection and survival. Management Professor Neal Ashkanasy contends that although today we are not as dependent on others for survival, criticism may still raise the alarm that our place in the group is being threatened. A continuing fear of being cast out can prevent us both 29
from receiving feedback well and giving it to others. Though it’s natural to feel this way, it’s also not impossible to overcome. Once you stop seeing constructive feedback as negative you can prevent your brain from eliciting these kinds of reactions. Carol Dweck’s studies into the difference between growth and fixed mindsets are a good example. In her research the benefits of having a growth over a fixed mindset are clear. eople with a growth mindset don’t take their abilities for granted but see them as skills they must work on to develop. In their mind, constructive feedback isn’t seen as disapproval, but as advice on how they can further perfect these skills. Not being afraid of constructive criticism also makes them more willing to take on new challenges. The following steps will help you change your perception of constructive feedback.
Steps to help you manage your emotions: 1. Set professional goals for yourself Before you even receive feedback you should think about what professional goals you would like to set for yourself. If you’re not motivated to achieve more professionally, it may be more difficult to receive constructive criticism. People with growth mindsets are motivated by their desire to develop further and use feedback as a guide for achieving their goals. Creating goals will give you a target to orient your efforts towards. These could be long or short-term goals, just make sure they are challenging yet achievable. 2. Ask questions When you feel yourself starting to get emotional switch to detective mode. Investigate further what exactly your manager or colleague is telling you so you can better address the issue. Remember that different perceptions could play a role here and as such you want to get down to 30
the facts rather than opinions. In the previous example, your colleague’s assessment that you seemed uninterested in other people’s’ contributions was based on their opinion. Being on your laptop during the discussion was a fact. This fact is what you’re looking for as it provides an actionable piece of information. Knowing how people perceive you being on your laptop during meetings tells you what behavior you can change to improve your image as a team player. If you start to feel yourself becoming emotional it’s perfectly acceptable to ask the reviewer if you can have some time to process the information and schedule another meeting. When your fight or ight mode kicks in and emotions start to run high it’s difficult to concentrate on what the other person is saying. Taking time out to calm your nerves will allow you to process your feedback as calmly and objectively as possible. 3. Analyze patterns and tendencies Now it’s time to analyze the feedback you’ve been given. If your feedback is coming from a 360-degree review you can compare the different responses of your colleagues and peers. If it’s coming from a one off session, try to recall some of the constructive feedback you received in the past. If you see any patterns or feel you might recognize some of the behaviors they’re describing write them down. If this is your first review, write down the main points your reviewer said you should work on. You may not always have time to go back to your office to process the information. In this case take a moment to make a mental inventory of your feedback. Most people will give you constructive feedback out of a genuine belief that the advice they’re giving will help improve your performance. 31
Even so, this does not necessarily mean you should follow it. When you feel it might not be right for you ask other people you trust for their opinion. If in the end you still don’t feel making this change will help you achieve your career goals, it is ok to pass or consider adjusting it to best suit your work style. Also consider the source. If your office arch nemesis happens to be included in the list of reviewers you should still take their feedback into consideration. Remember to look for facts as opposed to opinions in their statement. It could be that their feedback is riddled with unsubstantiated opinions but it may still give you deeper insight into the reasons why the two of you don’t see eye to eye. 4. Develop a strategy The list you created will now become your battle plan. Think about how these behaviors/issues could become barriers to the goals you came up with in step one. Plan what steps you could take to address these points. For example, say you’re applying for a management position and want to impress your boss by leading the next team project. If your colleagues don’t feel you’re giving them your full attention during team meetings you’re not likely to reach this goal. To tackle this issue, in the next meeting you may want to ditch the laptop. If taking notes is really important for you, instead make an effort to look up at the speaker from time to time and add encouraging words to show them you’re listening. 5. Share your plan and ask for advice and support It’s a good idea to share your strategy with the reviewers. This shows them you’re taking steps to remedy the issues they pointed out. They may also have suggestions you may not have considered. Finally, ask your manager or colleague for support in making these changes. If they see that you genuinely want to put their advice into action, they’ll be sure to offer you encouragement along the way and be more receptive 32
when you give them feedback in return.
Summary and take-aways Receiving constructive feedback can be emotionally draining when taken as a personal affront. Overcoming this tendency could be the step that takes you from being a good employee to a top performer. Being open to your manager and colleagues’ feedback will demonstrate that you’re an effective communicator, team player and hard worker who is always eager to improve. • • • •
33
Set goals for yourself Ask the right questions Analyze your feedback and identify patterns Develop a winning strategy to overcome these obstacles and achieve your goals