When's the Last Time You Gave Feedback? (And Why That Matters)
Think back to the last time you gave feedback to a team member . . .
Was it when a project derailed or performance had gotten so bad that something had to be done? Or are you good about dropping quick notes of praise via Slack when big projects come to a close — but inevitably, you forget to follow up outside of that?
It's common to "save" feedback for annual (or less frequent) reviews and adopt a reactive approach outside of that, only giving feedback here and there. However, feedback works best as a proactive tool for growth, doled out consistently to keep people aligned and strengthen the work you do collectively.
How do you give feedback — or like to receive it? Fill out our quick survey, and we'll share results in the next blog!
3 reasons to give regular and consistent feedback
Understanding the reason we give feedback can help clarify why it's important to do it regularly. Here are three primary reasons to guide your approach:
FUEL GROWTH
You want to keep folks motivated, and feedback does that. Tell people how they're excelling, as well as areas for improvement, tying all feedback to tangible projects whenever possible so folks understand their big-picture impact. Feedback can also spark conversations about a team member's long-term career goals, allowing you to align future assignments with their individual growth goal.
MAKE THE WORK STRONGER
Strong managers want to help team members grow and enable them to do solid work. For that to happen, feedback on how people work is critical. Regular feedback that accounts for individual approaches and processes can help people refine how they work and become more strategic; it can also help your team stay focused on the bigger "why" behind all of the work you do.
STAY ALIGNED
Have you ever assigned work and then gotten a finished product that was nothing close to what you envisioned? You can't maintain alignment if everyone's operating on assumptions. After you assign a project, giving feedback at regular checkpoints allows people to course correct if things aren't going as expected, long before you get the final product.
How to move from reactive to proactive feedback
Creating a culture of consistent feedback doesn't happen overnight, but you can take small steps to get there. We've seen that prioritizing regular feedback sessions leads to stronger team engagement and better work outcomes — and it's pretty simple to implement this change.
Here are three key tips to create a consistent feedback structure:
Discuss what each person needs to give and receive feedback. Perhaps one team member wants to meet over Zoom at the end of day, but another prefers a phone call first thing in the morning. Knowing people's preferences will help ensure they're receptive to the conversation.
Set a recurring meeting with specified location details. Automating the sessions removes the guesswork, making feedback a regular part of the work process.
If possible, have people write down their thoughts in advance. If both people come to the session prepared, more time can be spent on important topics instead of fleshing out why you're there.
We use this 2x2 feedback square in our weekly one-on-one meetings:
With this approach, both the team member and the manager show up to the meeting with their own perspectives on what's working and what might need to change. The team member also gets the chance to directly ask for their manager's support.
PS: We're also hosting an interactive webinar on March 26th covering one of the top questions we get asked: What do you do with feedback once you get it?
We would love to see you there, grab your spot below!
