What do you do if you're struggling with giving and receiving feedback in leadership?

Growth mindset is everything. Feedbacks or criticisms are not to be taken personal. If there is a critique, remember, there is just more room to grow. Process feedbacks and try to break it down. Ask questions to understand the feedback better. Try to get specific information based on them. Always be grateful for people's insights.

To effectively embrace the feedback mindset, it is important to properly capture feedback. This means creating an environment where feedback is encouraged and valued, and where team members feel comfortable providing feedback to one another. It is important to give feedback in a timely manner. The longer you wait to give feedback, the longer you contribute to the person's ineffectiveness and the less time they have to improve. Just as you want others on the team to improve their work performance, it is important to learn how to better develop others. Ask them what you did in the feedback session that was helpful and what they would like you to do differently next time. Then you can practice receiving feedback without getting defensive.

If you're struggling with giving and receiving feedback in leadership, start by fostering a culture of open communication within your team. When giving feedback, focus on being specific, constructive, and empathetic, ensuring that your message is clear and actionable. Use the "sandwich" approach by starting with positive observations, addressing areas for improvement, and concluding with encouragement.

Sender is encode message and receiver is decode message, if message not clear or decode properly, it becomes noise and create ambiguity. Therefore proper encoding and decoding is required to fulfil the purpose of message or feedback from both parties. Just as you want others on the team to improve their work performance, it is important to learn how to better develop others. Ask them what you did in the feedback session that was helpful and what they would like you to do differently next time. Clearly understand the received feedback and actionable will also inform without any ambiguity to achieve the required targets as per zeal.

A common mistake I see when feedback is being provided is when the interaction is treated as a one-way affair. Feedback sessions should be meaningful conversations where both parties can express their perspectives recognizing that neither is complete without the other. Asking open ended questions to explore where opportunities for improvement exist can turn into fruitful coaching moments as it broadens both sides awareness of underlying factors or influences in performance.

Clarity in feedback is crucial, especially in data science, where precision matters. I’ve seen how specific, actionable feedback can elevate a project. For example, during a recent machine learning task, a team member struggled with model accuracy. Instead of just saying, "Improve accuracy," I suggested, "Revisit feature selection—try adding feature X or Y and observe the impact." This not only provided clear direction but also empowered them to explore and learn. The result was a marked improvement in the model and a more confident team member. Clear, example-driven feedback doesn't just solve immediate issues; it builds long-term skills and fosters growth.

Let me throw you quick fact about feedback and clarity. Statistically, one out of seven humans are Neurodivergent and clarity can be a huge issue. Many Neurodivergent folks can’t “read between the lines” and won’t pick up on subtleties, myself included. So, now that you know that stat above, ensure that you are being crystal clear with your feedback. Use direct language with clear takeaways and actionable Insights. This action will reduce the need for future clarity seeking and should improve reception and/or feedback.

Being a servant leader means seeing things and helping from their point of view. Practice this by solving real problems that are important to the team not just ones you think are important. Ask for feedback regularly, and, in particular, when you perceive things are not going well. Getting feedback, particularly unpleasant criticism, can be awkward or disappointing. However, some of the best learning comes from failure and mistakes, even though they weren't fun experiences at the time. The key, though, when you do get the feedback, is to do something with it. Don't just ask for feedback then don't change or act on it; soon, you won't get any feedback at all.

Absolutely agree! Regular practice is key to becoming comfortable with both giving and receiving feedback. In my own journey, I’ve found that starting with smaller, day-to-day interactions made a huge difference. Early on, I focused on seeking feedback from my peers on small projects—this not only helped me refine my work but also made me more open to constructive criticism in larger, more high-stakes situations. Over time, I’ve incorporated active listening into my feedback approach, and now it feels like a natural part of how I lead my teams. Feedback is powerful when it becomes a habit, not a one-off event. How do you integrate feedback into your routine?

Giving and receiving feedback is a skill that gets easier with practice. Make it a regular part of your routine—start small by asking for feedback on minor projects. The more you practice, the more natural feedback will feel in your leadership style.

Creating a safe space for feedback is important, and at DIFC Authority, leaders made sure everyone could share their ideas comfortably. As a junior lawyer, I saw this during the DIFC Registrar of Companies reform. Leaders encouraged everyone to speak up, no matter their position. I shared my thoughts on the reform, knowing they would be heard. This helped improve our work and built trust, making everyone feel included and valued.

Creating psychological safety in the corporate world during feedback sessions is essential. It’s about fostering an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and ideas without fear of judgment or repercussion. As leaders, we can cultivate this by actively listening, showing empathy, and providing constructive feedback that focuses on growth rather than criticism. When individuals feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to engage in open dialogue, share diverse perspectives, and ultimately, drive innovation and success within the organization.

Creating a structured feedback system can significantly enhance the effectiveness and consistency of feedback within your team. Designate regular intervals for feedback, such as one-on-one meetings, performance reviews, or anonymous surveys, to ensure it becomes an anticipated and routine part of team interactions. A well-defined framework helps normalize the process, reducing anxiety and uncertainty around feedback. Customize this system to align with your team's unique culture and requirements, but ensure it always facilitates clear, constructive, and timely communication. By having a consistent approach, you provide a reliable platform for continuous improvement and foster a culture of open, productive dialogue.

A useful framework to give and ask for feedback is SBI: - situation: describe the specific situation where the behaviour occurred. - behaviour: focus on the specific behaviour you observed without making it personal, stick to facts and avoid judging. - impact: explain the impact of the behaviour on the team, project, or outcomes. This helps the person understand why the feedback matters.

Feedback often takes a while to sink in, especially if you are not used to the process. You will be in denial, you will be angry, you will blame others. Then, you start accepting and working on it. When clarity comes, do not forget the brave souls who took the time (and the risk) to help you become better. Commit to him/her an action plan. Commit to yourself. As your plans evolve, focus on the ones you can immediately get done. Finally, do not forget that the process takes time.

Prioritization: Identify and prioritize key areas of feedback that will have the most significant impact on your or your teams development.

After receiving feedback, take time to reflect on the insights gained and identify actionable steps for improvement. Actively incorporate feedback into your leadership approach and seek opportunities to apply what you've learned in real-world scenarios.

Sometimes we tend to catastrophize feedback, only holding on to the critical aspects and often times over-indexing on solving for it. This could lead to insecurity and overwhelm. Understand that acting on feedback can be small & simple things, and that somethings can be turned around almost immediately and some other things may require development and growth overtime. Reflecting creates clarity so you can set the appropriate expectations both with your leader and yourself. This also ensures whatever actions you take to improve, whether big or small, align with your goals.

Reflection is key to turning feedback into real growth. Especially when you lead by example and encourage your team to do the same. It fosters a constructive environment where everyone sees improvement as the main goal. It also ensures feedback is received as a roadmap for development, not just a checklist of changes.

The best advice I got for giving feedback is to first ask permission. The second best advice I got in giving feedback is to use the wise-feedback method. The Wise-Feedback method is about setting high expectations while showing that you believe in the person’s ability to rise to the challenge—balancing direct feedback with confidence in their potential to grow. When it comes to taking feedback, you need a growth-mindset to believe you can change, otherwise, feedback is more like criticism. As a wise mentor put it to me, you can do 3 things with feedback: 1. Take it all in 2. Ignore it all 3. Use what's useful Pay attention to the source and motivation behind the feedback.