🙊 How to Get Great at Giving + Receiving Feedback

Feedback with Flair: Mastering the Art of Authentic Giving and Receiving

Let’s dive into a crucial skill that will level up your career at every stage: feedback. Whether you’re dishing it out or soaking it in, feedback is a foundational tool for growth and success. You can turn those awkward convos into career-boosting connections… really.

Why Feedback Rocks

Feedback is like your career GPS. It tells you where you’re succeeding and where you need a course correction. New job? Regular feedback keeps you on track. Long-time role? Constructive input can highlight detours to even greater success. But let’s be real, giving and receiving feedback can be terrible. So, let’s break it down into three power moves: 1) Ask for feedback proactively, 2) Receive it with an open mind, and 3) Give it effectively and constructively.

Our Feedback Game Plan

(1) Asking for Feedback

Be Bold, Be Proactive

• Email Ahead: Shoot a message with specific questions before meeting.

• Create Safety: Tell them, “Don’t be nice. Be helpful.”

• Be Specific: Ask for actionable feedback you can use.

Special Note for Women Leaders

• Women often get vague feedback like “You did great!” while men get actionable advice. Change this by being proactive and asking for specific action items and take aways.

• Bust Bias: Women are more likely to hear they’re “too aggressive.” Let’s flip the script by requesting concrete, business-tied feedback.

(2) Receiving Feedback

Mindset Matters

• Growth Mindset: See feedback as a tool for self-awareness, not a personal attack. Create space between the words and your ego.

• Understand Perspectives: Feedback reflects the giver’s view, not your worth as a human being.

Power Move

• When you get feedback, listen deeply, ask clarifying questions, and take notes. You will need time and space to reflect on this information later without defensiveness.

(3) Giving Feedback

Purpose and Timing

• Know Your Why: What’s the purpose of your feedback? How will it help the recipient and your relationship?

• Frequency Matters: Don’t save feedback for annual reviews. Make it a regular part of your one-on-ones. Annual reviews should feel like “old news”.

• Right Timing: Address issues promptly but avoid the heat of the moment if emotions run high.

Be Specific

• GIFT Model:

  • Get aligned on a common goal: “We both want to boost sales.”

  • I statement: “I’m worried...”

  • Facts only: “Yesterday, you ended the meeting without asking for feedback...”

  • Thoughts on impact: “We missed a chance to see how our pitch landed.”

Level Up with Inclusivity

Remember, bias can sneak into feedback. Reflect on how your cultural background might shape your perspective. Strive for inclusive feedback that respects diverse viewpoints.

Wrap-Up

Regularly asking for, receiving, and giving feedback isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential. It takes guts to ask how others see you, but the payoff is huge: growth, stronger relationships, and a skyrocketing career.

Ready to transform feedback into your secret sauce for success? You got this!

Learn more about 1:1 Leadership Coaching