Understanding why workplace feedback is necessary is great. (If you're a little fuzzy on this, revisit our last blog post!) Once you're there, a big opportunity awaits: to adopt a curious attitude and approach feedback as a chance to reach your team's full potential.

We've helped many organizations get there, and today we're sharing some of our best tips to transform feedback from an occasional occurrence into a regular, meaningful practice that lifts everyone up and fuels organizational and individual growth. We'll also discuss how to structure your feedback using one of our favorites, the ACE tool.

Psst: Want to learn exactly what to do after you give feedback? Join us on March 26 for our upcoming free webinar!

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Feedback travels both ways: How to model curiosity as a leader

Because things often trickle down from the top of the company, leaders must model giving and receiving feedback so that team members know how to engage with it themselves.

Coming at feedback with a curious lens might feel new, as many of us have been conditioned to think of feedback as something that only happens when there's a problem, but this is a critical part of shifting your culture. When everyone knows where they stand — and when feedback is regularly given in the open — people feel respected, motivated, and inspired. That change will start with you!

Next time you receive feedback, try these tips:

Ask questions to understand. Resist the urge to explain why something happened or debate specifics. Instead, ask questions to understand the other person's POV like, "Could you tell me more about that experience?" or "What would have made this process work better for you?"
Reflect back. This is a good practice to use in general; when something important is discussed, the person receiving the info should repeat it back in their own words. This ensures everyone is on the same page and that next steps are reiterated.
Implement changes and follow up. If someone is addressing an issue with you, work on a solution, make changes, and keep that person in the loop. For example, someone says they're missing out on key details because they're not part of another meeting in which that information is discussed. Maybe you decide you'll message that person directly in Slack anytime decisions affecting them are made. A few weeks later, check back in and ask them if the process is working for them.

We've found it's best practice to give (and invite) feedback freely and often. When you normalize giving feedback on Slack, in team meetings, during debriefs, and elsewhere, constructive feedback becomes a reflexive part of your process. You're continuously investing in the work and each other, resulting in stronger working relationships, better collaboration, and more work satisfaction.

How to include feedback in weekly 1:1 meetings

While you should be sharing feedback in many different shared settings, you'll also still include it as part of your weekly 1:1 meetings.

If you're new to the nuts and bolts of giving feedback, here are some suggestions:

Start small, with low-stakes acknowledgments. For example: "I really liked how you handled that client question yesterday." You can even work this in before the meeting starts.
Give feedback as close to the moment as you can. If you let things build up, feedback can feel like a bigger deal than it would have been if you discussed it in the moment.
Include feedback as an agenda item in every one on one. Meet to share feedback even if you have nothing else to discuss, this will build the habit and condition your team to expect feedback in most meetings.
Frame feedback around growth, not criticism. Instead of saying, "Here's everything that went wrong," try saying, "Here are some ways I think we can do better next time." Whenever possible, try to connect your observations to personal, team, or company goals to drive home why this feedback matters.

There are many feedback tools you can use, including the 2x2 square we showed you in our last blog. When it comes to effectively packaging your feedback, we also love the ACE feedback tool.

Want help structuring feedback? Try the ACE feedback tool

The ACE model provides a great roadmap for making sure that feedback is instructive and constructive:

Appreciate and Acknowledge

Start by calling out things that were done well — this might be the whole point of the feedback, if there's nothing to coach on, but it's a good place to start even if you do have some clarifications to make. People are more open to hearing what's next if they feel appreciated.

Example statement: "I could tell you really prepped for yesterday's client meeting. The slides were detailed, and you came across confident in answering the client's questions. I think you did a great job gaining credibility with them."

Coach and Clarify

If there's something you're offering guidance on, that comes next. Remember: Try to connect the feedback to an individual, team, or organizational goal to really demonstrate why this matters. Then, explain what needs to change and offer some encouragement in getting there.

Example statement: "Your presentation ran about 30 minutes. One of our company goals this year is to strengthen time management, which includes keeping client presentations to under 20 minutes. That way, we have time for Q&A afterward. One idea I had was that you could do a practice run next time with me or another team member to check the timing. What do you think?"

Evaluate

Finally, close out by evaluating the impact of that person's work. Take the time to recognize growth and progress, and reiterate areas for continued development as part of the bigger picture.

Example statement: "Overall, I've seen your presentation skills grow significantly since you joined the team. The clients were engaged and had a lot of questions, which is a great thing. Continuing to work on timing and pacing will make you an even more effective presenter, especially with our busiest clients."

What comes after feedback?

Say you've used the ACE tool to give the feedback we illustrated above. What comes next?

Before you end the meeting, we recommend having the team member reflect the feedback to you, like we talked about earlier. Make sure you've also clearly outlined what should happen next, and add it to the agenda for a future check-in so neither of you forget about it.

To learn more about what happens after you give feedback — and ways to be sure that feedback leads to meaningful change — don't forget to sign up for our webinar on March 26! See more details and snag your spot below.

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