Effective feedback is a method of providing input that can be positive such as a compliment, negative such as a corrective measure, or neutral such as a general observation, but is always beneficial to the recipient. It offers recipients insights or suggestions that help them achieve their goals. If you want to provide useful feedback, you should be helpful, encouraging, and precise on how to alter, improve, or continue activities and performance.
Techniques to provide constructive feedback and facilitate growth in others.
Effective feedback is a method of providing input that can be positive such as a compliment, negative such as a corrective measure, or neutral such as a general observation, but is always beneficial to the recipient. It offers recipients insights or suggestions that help them achieve their goals. If you want to provide useful feedback, you should be helpful, encouraging, and precise on how to alter, improve, or continue activities and performance.
What is feedback?
Feedback can be explained as giving helpful input to someone with reference to their actions, task or their behaviour. It can either be constructive or positive but its main objective is to offer insights to the receiver and offer them a learning opportunity.
The best feedback is effective feedback, one that fulfils its objective and one where the receiver understands what they can do better in order for them to grow, one where the feedback is given without ruining the connection and avoiding any escalation.
There are several parameters that differentiates good feedback from bad feedback. To learn how to provide feedback that fosters someone’s growth, consider the points outlined in this blog next time you offer feedback.
When is it given?
Although feedback isn’t restricted to only the workplace, there are situations and circumstances that call for effective feedback to be shared. These situations could arise both at your workplace and at outside, but it is better to understand when and why the feedback can be given.
Creating a feedback-positive culture is vital to improving productivity and evaluating your and your peers’ performance. The basic aim remains to challenge your potential and that of your peers and serve as a catalyst for you to elevate yourself to the next level.
How to give effective feedback?
Giving feedback like receiving feedback is a skill and like all skills, it requires ample practice in order for it to be perfected.
A common misconception is that feedback is only given to your subordinates or your juniors, however, if done correctly and with the right intention feedback can be given upwards, downwards and even sideways. The basic principle for all these steps of communication remains the same.
Here we explore a few ways to give feedback effectively:
a) DESC:
DESC stands for Describe, Express, Specify and Consequence. Each step accounts for the way in which feedback can be given.
- The first step would be to describe: Either the situation, the performance or the behaviour. You could start by saying a recent behaviour or a recent action that you observed and as a result of which this feedback is been given.
- The second step would be to express: You express what you felt about the situation or the behaviour and what your expectations were out of the person with respect to the way they handled a situation or the way they behaved.
- The third step would be to specify: The specifications would help the receiver gain insight and look at the situation from your perspective. This would serve as a stepping stone for them to look at what they could have done better because now they would understand exactly what went wrong.
- The fourth step would be to explain the consequences: You can explain the consequences that can follow if they are unable to change the situation or their behaviour. It would also help to explain why you are expecting them to change and how this change would impact their overall performance and personality.
b) Feedforward:
Feedforward is relating something that they did in the past to a possible situation that could come up in the future. The idea here is that people are unable to change the past but if we relate what they did in the past and put the same action/ behaviour to a future scenario they would be wary and would understand what they could do better in the future.
This is an extremely positive method as the receiver does not take it personally and looks ahead instead of focusing on the past.
This is the easiest way to foster an open feedback culture while also making sure that the existing relations are not strained.
c) What/Why:
One of the simplest and most precise ways of giving feedback is the what and why method.
This means that when giving positive feedback you tell the receiver what they did and why was it a good thing to do.
- For eg: They handled a flaming email with courteousness and could also bring the other person to a neutral demeanour. So you tell them what actions of theirs made this happen and encourage them to use the same or adopt better measures of handling the same issue in the future.
In the case of constructive feedback, you tell them what they did and why was it wrong of them to do the said action.
- For eg: They handled a flaming email by responding to it with more aggression and causing further problems. You tell them how they could have handled the situation better without aggravating it and exactly what actions from their end led to the escalation. To neutralise it and end it positively, you help them understand what they could do better the next time.
d) Sandwich method:
The age-old and best-known method is the sandwich method.
The simplest method to approach an issue can oftentimes be the most effective way to move forward as well.
The sandwich method is where we first highlight a positive aspect of the person we are talking to, give constructive feedback and then end it on a positive note.
This ensures that the person receiving the feedback is in sync with you and they don’t take the feedback too harshly. It also helps you give constructive feedback without hurting the sentiments of the other person.
- For eg: You tell them they have always been prompt at replying and following up with emails. However, this time around the way they responded to a flaming email made the entire conversation go down south.
You tell them ways in which they could have responded better and then compliment them on how efficiently they have always implemented changes the minute it was highlighted to them.
How to receive feedback:
The effectiveness of feedback also relies on the manner in which it is accepted because without being received correctly and an implementation taking place the entire objective of the feedback is lost.
While there is no proper method to receive feedback, there are a few pointers that can help in making sure the feedback is received in the best way to give the most beneficial results.
1. Be open:
You may or may not agree with the feedback, either way being closed off is not going to help you. Being open on the other hand will make you hear the other person’s viewpoint without any biases and this will in turn make you implement the feedback effectively.
2. Clarify and understand:
Ask questions to seek clarification. Try understanding what action or behaviour on your part could have been bettered. Ask questions that give you more knowledge about what is expected of you. This way you can process the feedback better as it allows the giver and the receiver to engage in a dialogue and discuss possible scenarios where a better method of working would deliver optimal results.
3. Reflect and implement:
Reflect on what has been shared with you and make a specific pathway for you to implement the necessary action to bring about a change.
This will ensure that the same mistakes do not occur and that a better way of moving forward is achieved.
Conclusion:
Feedback-positive environments are conducive to growth and sustainability. By being receptive to feedback and being an effective feedback giver, you can accelerate the growth of those around you. The next time you are unsure of whether you can provide the best feedback, refer to our guide and take all the steps needed!
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