How to Master Giving Feedback to Others

Receiving feedback regularly is really important for esteem…

Otherwise you’re operating in a silent bubble…

Never knowing if you’re ever on track, am I right?

If you don’t get much praise or positive encouragement, your mind will have a tendency to wander off into the land of assumption-making…

And when you don’t feel valued, you can arrive at the false assumption that you aren’t valued… even if you are.

As a leader of people, equally you can’t assume your team members are happy just because they appear to be…

They need feedback…

They need praise and encouragement…

And they need to hear how they could get better at their jobs.

And they want to hear it from you.

So how should you give feedback?

Well…

There isn’t a single right way of doing it…

But hopefully this 9-step guide gives you a good place to start.

 

 

Give feedback in a constructive way…

When you give feedback constructively…

That means framing the conversation positively:

You start by:

1. a) sharing with your report what’s working well…
2. b) building up to their areas for development…
3. c) whilst always remembering to check in and ask how you, as leader, can support them more in their quest to succeed.

 

If you’d prefer to listen to this newsletter, you can tune into our podcast:

How to Give Constructive Feedback (ep54)

 

I’ve broken this process down into 9 steps to keep things straight forward…

If you have some great tips for how to give feedback constructively… I’d love to invite you to add them in the comments below.

Are you ready?

Let’s go!

 

 

In Preparation of Your Meeting

Before you start any feedback session, it’s important that you, as leader, have done your homework.

Here are some factors to consider:

1. Review the Individual

Spend some time reviewing the individual you are going to give feedback to. What’s important to them, both at work and personally? What are their ambitions? Remind yourself of their KPIs and make a judgment on how well they are tracking right now. Consider what external factors might have impacted their performance.

 

2. What Do They Need?

Ask yourself, How can I help this individual succeed? Do they need mentoring? Where are the gaps in their knowledge and expertise? Do they need additional training? What should they be doing to step it up?

 

3. Invite Them to a Two-Way Conversation

Once you’ve done your own groundwork, invite them to the review and make it clear this will be a two-way discussion about their performance and a chance for them to focus on their professional development. Keep it positively framed and involving.

 

4. Finally…

Is there anything else you might want to do to prepare fully?

 

During The Feedback Session

Remember to keep the session positively-framed so start with what’s working before moving onto areas that need development.

 

5. Ask Them to Review Their Performance First…

Ask them how they think they’re tracking. Which KPIs have they hit? What’s working well? Where are they succeeding? Where could they improve? What are their challenges?

 

6. Skills Alignment

Discuss what you both think the 3-5 skills are for them to do this job successfully? How are they tracking with that? Do they need extra support or training?

 

7. How Are They Looking to Develop?

Talk about their career aspirations. Are they on track? Have their plans changed? What career opportunities and experiences are they looking for next to continue their growth?

 

 

 

8. Ask What Support They Need

As leader ask, “How else can I help you develop? How else can I help you succeed? Do we need to revise KPIs? Do you need greater stretch? What support do you need from me?”

 

9. Agree Your Next Session

Agree a date for your next feedback session (3-6 months is ideal) and get it in the diary.

Where to from here?

To build trust with your team, giving feedback regularly is super important.

It shows you are taking a genuine interest in their input, their careers and most importantly, them.

Research has shown…

That when we receive praise, we get a dopamine hit which makes us feel good and valued.

As a result this builds loyalty and engagement…

And it’s amazing how powerful being and feeling praised really is.

What do you want?

In my business, at Illuminate Personal Growth, we specialise in helping you build credibility and visibility at work, to be seen as a domain expert and sought out for your expertise and to land only the best roles.

Whether you want recognition, a promotion, a serious pay rise, to thrive in a new leadership role, to position yourself differently in the eyes of your decision makers, or to become hugely self-confident in yourself and your value…

I can help you achieve those ambitions…

It’s what I do… and I absolutely LOVE what I do! 🙂

 

And so…

I’ve emphasised the importance of giving personalised, in-depth feedback regularly with each individual member in your team.

Focus on them and what they most need to succeed and you’ll build the most loyal, productive team going.

👇 Comment below! What are your tips for giving great feedback? 👇

Rebecca x

P.S. If you’re looking for support in your leadership journey, you might consider working with a coach. Working with me, we will support you to be a more effective leader and build a trusting, productive team. Connect with me for a free 15-minute Strategy Call to get started.