Feedback is essential for any software engineering team to improve their skills, processes, and products. However, not everyone is comfortable giving or receiving feedback, especially when it is critical or negative. How can you build a team that welcomes feedback and uses it constructively? Here are some tips to help you create a feedback-friendly culture in your software engineering team.
Creating a team that welcomes feedback starts with establishing trust and respect among its members. This foundation allows people to communicate openly and honestly, without fear of judgment or retaliation. To foster trust and respect, set clear and realistic expectations and goals, acknowledge each team member's strengths and contributions, encourage collaboration instead of competition, address any conflicts promptly and respectfully, and model the behavior you want to see in your team.
- keep it feedback frequent - Give feedback as a mentor, and try to define actions - Keep a problem-solving attitude, everyone has their way of getting things done. attack problem without trying to change a person - Don't sandwich feedback: Don't try to wrap bad things in good things blanket - Good feedback plays an important part in growing someone
Being genuine and honest goes a long way in earning my trust. I much prefer someone saying I don't know but I will find out than someone who is afraid to admit that they do not know every thing.
Building a feedback-friendly software engineering team starts with cultivating a culture of open communication and trust. Encourage an environment where feedback is viewed as a tool for growth, not criticism. Lead by example: openly accept and give constructive feedback. Regularly hold retrospectives to discuss what’s working and what’s not. Foster psychological safety so everyone feels comfortable voicing their opinions. Remember, it's about building a team that sees feedback as a stepping stone to innovation and improvement, not just a box to tick.
Creating a team that welcomes feedback requires providing feedback regularly and consistently. This should be a part of the team's routine, not a rare or random event. To ensure this, schedule regular feedback sessions, such as weekly or monthly reviews, retrospectives, or one-on-ones. Use a consistent framework or format for giving feedback, like the SBI model (Situation, Behavior, Impact). Aim to balance positive and negative feedback, and focus on specific behaviors and outcomes rather than personal traits or opinions. Invite feedback from multiple sources such as peers, managers, clients, or users. Finally, follow up on feedback and track the progress and results of the feedback given.
Just as regular meetings and updates are scheduled for the investors, feedback meetings should also be scheduled for the teams. The feedback shouldn't always be just the negative things but a blend of both negative and positive things. Regular 1-on-1s also ensure that everyone in the team has a place to talk about their issues and can get proper resolution on those.
The third step to building a team that welcomes feedback is to cultivate feedback-seeking and feedback-receiving skills and habits. To do this, you should create a safe and supportive environment for feedback, where people feel valued and respected. You should also teach and practice the techniques of asking for and receiving feedback, such as open-ended questions, paraphrasing, summarizing, clarifying, and thanking. Moreover, it's important to reward and recognize those who actively seek and receive feedback, as well as share your own experiences with giving and receiving feedback. This will help demonstrate how feedback can improve performance, quality, or satisfaction.
In my current role I know that I am going to have a one on one with my supervisor at least once a month. Knowing this I make a list of things that I want to discuss during that time. These are non urgent items of course but I do this out of respect for her time and so that I can also stay focused on the day to day. That why consistency is key to having one to one's scheduled.
The fourth step to building a team that welcomes feedback is to enable feedback-sharing and feedback-giving. This entails proactively offering and delivering feedback in a constructive and respectful manner. To facilitate this, you should create opportunities and channels for feedback-sharing, such as online platforms, surveys, polls, or forums. Additionally, you should teach and practice the skills and techniques of offering and giving feedback, such as timing, tone, language, and examples. Furthermore, it's important to avoid common feedback pitfalls, such as vague, irrelevant, biased, or personal feedback. Lastly, solicit and accept feedback on your own feedback to help improve your feedback skills and style.
I like that we have quarterly surveys where the employees can let the company know how they feel. What is equally as important is that the results of the survey is shared and how the company is going to focus on those results moving forward.
The fifth step to building a team that welcomes feedback is to promote feedback-learning and feedback-action. These are the skills and habits of processing and applying feedback, and using it to achieve goals and solve problems. To foster this, you should provide resources for feedback-learning, such as coaching, mentoring, training, or tools. Additionally, you should encourage and facilitate feedback-action by setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound), creating action plans, and monitoring progress. Celebrating and sharing feedback-successes, such as milestones or testimonials is also important. Finally, review and reflect on feedback-challenges like obstacles or mistakes in order to learn from them. Feedback is an invaluable tool for software engineering teams to improve their skills, processes, and products. By following these tips, you can build a team that welcomes feedback and uses it constructively.
In the work environment where some of us are remote and do not have that face to face interaction it is very important to be genuine and truthful in your interactions. If not that comradery that makes people work as a team will not exist.