How can you create a culture of openness to feedback in the workplace?

Positive feedback acknowledges and reinforces good work, boosting morale, motivation, and overall engagement. As a leader or team member, it's important to model effective feedback behavior to encourage others to do the same. When providing feedback, one can use the sandwich approach. Start with a positive comment or acknowledgment of something the individual did well. Then, provide constructive feedback or areas for improvement. Finally, end with another positive note or encouragement. This balanced approach helps maintain a constructive and supportive tone. One can emphasize that feedback is a two-way street and everyone should actively participate in providing and receiving feedback, promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

Create a workplace where open dialogue exists both ways between employee and employer. By asking your employees if they are happy within their role, you leave the opportunity for honest discussion about their part in the company's success. Provide teaching moments where constructive criticism is presented as an opportunity for growth. Use your leadership to show your own vulnerabilities, thereby making you approachable to your staff. Always remember that contributing to your employee's personal career success and growth only makes your company stronger and their loyalty a bond difficult to break.

Feedback is the best driver for innovation. It allows us to create better solutions by engaging more than one brain. Unfortunately, though, many people see feedback not for the positive synergist that it is, but rather as a synonym for criticism. To change this and to create a culture of openness to feedback, you therefore need to frame the perception of feedback as something natural and beneficial to the entire process. This way your team will not only be open to feedback but also actively seek it, in order to achieve the best results.

In shaping a culture of openness to feedback, my journey as a leader emphasized the pivotal role of modeling feedback behavior and skills. Recognizing the profound influence leaders hold in shaping team perceptions, I actively sought and embraced feedback from my colleagues, demonstrating appreciation for their insights. Taking to heart the received feedback, I translated it into tangible actions and outcomes, consistently offering feedback with respect and a focus on specific behaviors. I adhered to the SBI model (Situation, Behavior, Impact) for clarity, steering clear of vague or judgmental language. My commitment to openness cultivated an environment where feedback is valued as a catalyst for collective growth and continuous improvement

Para mim, dois pontos s?o fundamentais neste momento: espa?o de fala e seguran?a. Sobre os espa?os de fala, vejo que muitas organiza??es focam em fazer feedbacks, treinam seus gestores, mas, muitas vezes, n?o se preparam, n?o "treinam" para ouvir. Muitos gestores C-level se empenham em oferecer feedback para suas equipes, mas n?o conseguem fazer o movimento contrário, o de receber. Quando se trata de cultura, o hábito, a conduta deve estar presente em todos da organiza??o, n?o só na opera??o. E aqui cito a seguran?a. As pessoas precisam se sentir seguras para participar desse movimento de feedback, é preciso criar este ambiente para que o feedback possa ser genuíno e eficaz, caso contrário a iniciativa de mudar a cultura cai por terra.

Creating a culture of feedback is essential for fostering continuous improvement, employee engagement, and overall organizational growth. Leaders willing to receive feedback can set a precedent for others to feel comfortable providing input. Foster an open, non-judgmental atmosphere where employees feel safe sharing their thoughts. Leaders should emphasize that feedback is about improvement, not criticism.

1. Show openness and encourage input from your team. 2. Actively listen to and value employees' perspectives. 3. Learn from feedback, address areas for improvement, and grow as a leader. 4. Provide constructive feedback, highlighting strengths and areas for development. 5. Foster a feedback culture, promoting open communication. 6. Communicate clear expectations and offer regular performance feedback to your employees. 7. Take concrete actions based on feedback, making meaningful improvements. 8. Build trust through transparency, honesty, and approachability. 9. Lead by example, giving and receiving feedback openly. 10. Continuously assess and refine feedback processes for growth.

If, "can I give you some feedback?" is always followed by criticism, you'll incite fear. Normalize that sometimes it's positive. If you model a format like SBI (situation, behavior, impact) you help people make a connection between their actions and the work. You can use this to also give recognition. Set up Slack channels, Anytime Feedback in Workday, or other company-wide places to give these shoutouts. Use the SBI model to tell people what they did well. Take time out of meetings to share these acknowledgments. If you give positive feedback more often than critical feedback, you don't create a culture of fear around it. You can even shift to a culture where people welcome critical feedback because it's part of the process.

Allow and encourage anonymous feedback. Anonymity fosters open communication by breaking down barriers and power dynamics that might exist in a hierarchical structure. It allows employees to communicate directly with leadership without the potential constraints of a formal reporting structure. Anonymity will enable employees to express their opinions and concerns more freely without fear of reprisal. This will lead to honest feedback, providing a more accurate picture of an organization's "ground truth."

Acting on employee feedback is essential. Follow up on suggestions or areas for improvement to demonstrate that feedback is taken seriously. This shows a commitment to continuous improvement based on the feedback received. And when action isn't possible, openly communicate why.

To create a culture of openness to feedback, prioritize: 1. Psychological safety: Ensure employees feel safe sharing opinions without fear. 2. Structured feedback channels: Implement anonymous surveys and suggestion boxes. 3. Training on bias and diversity: Promote awareness and sensitivity. 4. Mentorship and allyship programs: Foster cross-cultural understanding. 5. Lead by example: Actively engage with diverse employees, demonstrating that their input is valued. This approach cultivates a workplace culture where feedback, diversity, and inclusion flourish.

Create a continual dialogue with your employees. While annual and pulse surveys have their place, companies should look beyond these tools to create a constant conversation. Another source of feedback is a company's data. Intranet traffic, job board reviews, and internal and external social media participation are all great sources.