Feedback Strategies

Feedback Strategies - Free Vector

Hey! 

Once again, I will be writing about my thoughts on the topic of Feedback this week. Last week I was writing about receiving feedback, this week I will be writing about giving feedback. I will be writing about two very interesting articles I read and I will also share my own personal thoughts/feelings on this topic.

The first article was How to Give Feedback Without Sounding Like a Jerk. This article caught my attention because I, too, have given some negative feedback in the past that I regretted, therefore I wanted to know how I could solve this issue.

The article stated that a “feedback sandwich” was not the way to do it. A “feedback sandwich” is when you have negative feedback in-between the positives. This is a common mistake made by coaches, parents, and teachers because when you give feedback this way, it could lead to two problems.

Problem one: The positives fall on deaf ears. People will just assume that you’re just trying to soften the blow and it won’t sound genuine and sincere.

Problem two: The negatives could get drowned out if you are too genuine about the positive feedback. People tend to remember what comes first and last in a conversation and the criticism in-between would get buried. They gained no effective feedback in the end.

These were two very good points, but then I started to ask myself “Then how do you give feedback?” Because I thought the “sandwich” method was effective, ever since primary school.

The article stated some steps to make your criticism feel constructive.

The steps were:

1. Explain why you’re giving the feedback: “I’m giving you these comments because I have very high expectations and I know that you can reach them.”, this quote is very effective as people would be open to criticism if it’s intended to benefit them.

2. Take yourself off a pedestal:

“I’ve benefited a lot from people giving me feedback, and I’m trying to pay that forward.” This quote sends a clear message of imperfection. People will realise that you’re not perfect and that you’re still learning too.

3. Ask if the person wants feedback:

“I noticed a couple things and wondered if you’re interested in some feedback.” People would feel less defensive about the feedback if they make the decision to receive it.

The second article I read was Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise? I was intrigued by this title because I was always curious to know how feedback would be given to me in the future when I get a job.

I was surprised to see that 21% of 7,808 people admitted to avoiding giving negative feedback, but what amazed me even more was finding out that even more people admitted to avoiding giving positive feedback! (37%)

The article stated that managers should give praise as well as criticism. I also agree, I believe that providing positive feedback and constructive criticism would not only develop your employees but also your company. Once employees realise that managers are on their side then the criticism should feel less nerve-racking and more helpful and constructive.

In conclusion, after reading these articles, I feel a little bit more confident in my ability to give effective feedback. These articles were a real eye-opener for me because I thought that the “sandwich” method was an effective way of giving feedback. Back in primary school, I learned that giving feedback through the “sandwich” method was worthwhile, but I guess it was incorrect.

This is why I like these articles. These types of articles are really helping me shape my state of mind because even when I think something is correct, in reality, I could be wrong the whole time. I am looking forward to read more about “feedback” in the future and I hope my knowledge on this topic expands!