How can you provide objective and fair feedback using active listening skills?

1 Why is active listening important for feedback?

Feedback is not just about telling someone what they did wrong or right. It is also about creating a dialogue that fosters learning, growth, and trust. Active listening can help you achieve that by showing that you care about your employees, that you respect their perspectives, and that you want to support their development. Active listening can also help you avoid misunderstandings, conflicts, and defensiveness that can arise from poorly delivered feedback. By listening actively, you can demonstrate that you are not judging, blaming, or imposing your views, but rather seeking to understand and collaborate.

3 How to practice active listening during feedback?

During the feedback conversation, you need to practice active listening skills that demonstrate your engagement, interest, and empathy. It's essential to balance your feedback with praise, questions, and suggestions. To practice active listening during feedback, you can use open-ended questions to invite your employee to share their perspective and feelings. Additionally, reflective statements can help paraphrase or summarize what they said. Affirming statements should be used to acknowledge and validate their feelings, efforts, and contributions. Constructive statements should be given in a clear, specific, and positive way using the SBI model. Lastly, probing questions should be asked to elicit more information, clarify expectations, and encourage action.

4 How to follow up on active listening feedback?

After providing feedback, it is important to follow up with your employee to ensure that they understand the message, agree with the assessment, and have committed to a plan of action. Additionally, you should monitor their progress, offer ongoing support, and recognize their achievements. To help with this, you should summarize the main points and outcomes of the feedback conversation and ask your employee to confirm or correct them. Additionally, ask how they feel about the feedback and address any concerns or questions they might have. Show your confidence in them and appreciation for their willingness to learn and grow by expressing your support and guidance. Lastly, schedule a follow-up meeting or check-in to review progress, provide additional feedback, and celebrate successes.

5 How to improve your active listening skills for feedback?

Improving your active listening skills for feedback is a skill that requires practice and feedback. Ask your employees how they perceive your feedback, and how you can make it more objective, fair, and helpful. Observe and learn from other supervisors who are good at giving feedback, and ask them for tips and advice. Use every feedback opportunity as a chance to practice and improve your active listening skills, and reflect on what went well and what could be improved after each conversation. Joining a peer group or professional network can also be beneficial, as you can exchange feedback and best practices with other supervisors.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?