How can peer evaluation help your team work more efficiently?

Giving and receiving feedback, specifically peer-to-peer needs to come with the caveat that it will not impact each other's job security or financial earnings. I've seen teams hold back on evaluating each other in helpful ways out of fear. Feedback must be shared from a place of safety, fostered by leadership.

In my experience, peer evaluation is not just feedback, it's a way to fuel team motivation and growth. It's a key element to be encouraged if you want empowered individuals and high-performing teams. Celebrating each other's strengths while openly tackling challenges together creates a powerful dynamic, it's something alongside peer work that I actively encourage and seek out providing opportunities for people to do just that. Its also a skills boost because by evaluating each other, team members get a taste of different roles and challenges, which in turn broadens their understanding and empathy within the team. It's a must-do when facilitating and building a motivated, united high-performing team

The quality of the feedback should be held to high standards because anyone can provide it. That’s why surveys/ 1:1s or any other format that helps us gather info to then elaborate feedback should be based on measurable items. Once that’s clear and the feedback has been given, the next step is a good plan to address the weaknesses and a monitoring schedule to see the improvements through.

When designing a peer evaluation practice, it's helpful to balance force with flexibility so that a culture is willingly formed through participants that have the space to appreciate the benefits of peer review, while at the same time enforcing the habit. When team members are encouraged to be agile and self-organize their peer reviews, there is increased accountability on their part to invite peer feedback, and on the part of other team members who will take responsibility for the readiness of a deliverable regardless of the author.

I can highly recommend to have a mandatory "how to give feedback" training. ?We have learned how to speak but not how to communicate.“ And also a "how to receive feedback" training - that's almost the higher art. When receiving feedback, be aware that the feedback sometimes says more about the feedback giver than the feedback receiver. ;)

In a communication training course a few weeks ago, we had the task of designing and delivering a presentation in a specific order and form. Afterwards, we gave each other peer feedback on the extent to which the requirements had been met and which things could be improved. Afterwards, the person who had given the presentation was asked whether he*she would like to receive further feedback, for example on the communicative nature of the presentation and other things. I found it very pleasant that you could also say "no" to personal feedback. For example, because you were perhaps already dissatisfied with your presentation or not ready for it for any other reasons.