How can you use feedback to help peers explore options?

1 Why feedback matters

Feedback matters because it helps peers to reflect on their situation, feelings, and actions, and to identify their strengths, needs, and goals. Feedback can also motivate peers to change, learn, and grow, by acknowledging their progress, challenges, and achievements. Feedback can also build trust, rapport, and empathy between peers, by showing that you care, listen, and understand.

2 How to give feedback

Giving feedback effectively involves more than simply expressing your opinion; it's also about asking the other person what they think or feel. When providing feedback, it's important to ask for permission first and respect the peer's decision to accept or decline it. Additionally, use the sandwich method, which entails beginning and ending with something positive and placing the negative or critical feedback in the middle. Moreover, focus on the behavior or situation, not the person or their character. Additionally, use "I" statements rather than "you" statements to express your observations, feelings, and suggestions. Be specific, concrete, and factual when giving feedback, not vague, general, or judgmental. It's best to provide feedback as soon as possible after the event or situation and to do so in private unless otherwise agreed upon.

3 How to receive feedback

Receiving feedback can be difficult, especially when it is negative or unexpected. However, it can also be a valuable opportunity to learn and improve if you are open to it. To effectively receive feedback, you should listen actively and attentively without interruption, show appreciation and gratitude for the feedback, ask questions to clarify and understand it, reflect on the feedback and how it relates to your situation, feelings, and actions, decide what to do with the feedback, and follow up on it by taking action or making changes if necessary.

4 How to avoid feedback pitfalls

Feedback can be beneficial, but it can also be damaging if it is given or received ineffectively. To steer clear of common feedback pitfalls, make sure that you and the peer are ready, willing, and able to give or receive feedback. Additionally, ensure that the feedback is neither excessive nor insufficient, and that it is relevant, accurate, and consistent. Furthermore, the feedback should be professional rather than personal or emotional. Lastly, make sure that the feedback is clear and respectful.

5 How to overcome feedback challenges

Feedback can be difficult, but it can also be rewarding if you are able to conquer the challenges that come with it. Acknowledging and managing your emotions, exploring and addressing the underlying reasons, communicating clearly and respectfully, listening and empathizing with different perspectives, and requesting or providing feedback regularly are all key steps to overcoming common feedback barriers. Doing so will help ensure that feedback is beneficial and purposeful, as well as help prevent confusion or misunderstanding, disagreement or conflict, and lack of follow-up.

6 How to practice feedback skills

Feedback skills are essential for peer support, but they can be improved and developed through practice and feedback. To practice your feedback skills, you can seek feedback from others, give feedback to others, use feedback tools such as forms, surveys, scales, or checklists, use feedback scenarios with case studies, role plays, or simulations, and use feedback reflection with journals, logs, or diaries. Doing so can help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

7 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?