How do you solicit feedback from your team and peers regularly?

While positive reinforcement is great growth comes from soliciting feedback good and bad. Secret is not to take anything personal, listen and grow from hearing from other people.

Cultivate an environment where open feedback flows in all directions. By demonstrating your openness to receiving feedback, you encourage your team to do the same

First of all, feedback is an ongoing process and should be shared at a precise time. When it comes to those rituals most of companies have such as mid-year and end-year reviews, I find it useful to ask two questions: 1) what have you done that was amazing in your opinion? 2) what could you do differently? Doing so makes people think about those moments and tasks an find out their strengths and weaknesses by reflecting on their performance. It helps a lot and makes this more like a two-way conversation than top-down feedback. Try it!

Feedback is an essential tool and act as a catalyst for success. Feedback either positive or negative should be constructive. It helps you and your team to do self introspection, realign and recharge. Promoting an empathetic culture where feedback is appreciated, will lead to team empowerment, harnessing skills and understanding of the shortcomings.

It helps in identifying issues with your performance, behaviour and strengths at your organization. It also highlights your improvement areas which in turn can help you boost your confidence levels. I always try to boost the confidence of my employees at IdeaNexa by first highlighting their strengths and then weaknesses.

Feedback is continuous. Treat feedback as a continuous loop of improvement by consistently integrating insights into your strategies.

I like to pick one thing I am trying to work on or improve (ex: public speaking in meetings) and then find 2-3 people who are regularly observing me and pull them aside and then to ask them if they can watch me and provide feedback. This does a few things. First, it makes it specific and second, when you go out of your way to ask someone, they can be more aware of what to look for and how they can help.

Feedback has been and will always be more earnest when psychological safety exists in every other instance. It's important to open multiple avenues for feedback, asking for it alone is not enough but providing different venues by which you can be open to feedback from 1:1 meetings, in writing, on and off cycle and even anonymously is important. Most importantly we encourage feedback that's regular in multiple forums. Feedback is hard and giving people grace to "develop" and be thoughtful about the feedback requires meeting them where they are in relationship to you.

I constantly ask my peers and leadership for feedback. This is how I can continue to grow while also making improvements if I’m off track. Feedback comes with a level of trust in the form that what you are receiving is honest. The honesty provides an open door to continuously receive and provide feedback.

Important to remember, Asking for feedback is not asking for critique. It might feel scary, but it’s there to help you map your path of growth. Together with others you can identify what your strengths are, and where you still have room to improve. It’s like building a SWOT analysis for yourself.

A fundamental flaw in providing feedback is when the manager is not prepared and approaches the feedback as the only version of facts. It proves to be problematic as the employee could potentially resist the feedback and lose trust and faith in the leadership capabilities of the manager.

It has to be collaborative. Approach feedback as a collaborative dialogue, inviting the recipient's perspective and insights.

One practice I've found helpful when delivering feedback is to lead with compassion. Step into the other person's shoes and learn where they were coming from. Consequently, you can tailor and personalize the feedback, make the conversation a discussion, and ultimately help the person improve and/or reach their goals.

The best way for a leader to give feedback to the team is to be clear, specific, and constructive. Begin with acknowledging the positives, then address areas for improvement with actionable suggestions. Ensure feedback is relevant to the task and avoid making it personal. Encourage open communication, allowing team members to share their perspectives. Always be genuine and express a commitment to their growth and the team's success.

How often feedback is given, received and accepted is indicative of the style of culture that exists. If a learning environment has been created feedback isn’t something you do in a comfy room or plan out to avoid conflict, it just happens. Because it’s part of ‘something we do’ not something we plan laboriously for. Yes the skills of delivery have to be learnt but making it ‘a thing’ it isn’t gives it a negative connotation. Rather if we create a learning environment, people accept they will get get words of encouragement and praise and they will get development.

Timeliness of feedback is part of the solution too. When you see something happen, don't wait and schedule it for some time in the future. Likely you and the person receiving the feedback will have forgotten much of the situation and context. If you find yourself saying "that was great" or "that is not what I expected," that's the interrupt to help you create a new habit of knowing it's time to give feedback.

As a marketing professional with 15 years of exp, I've learned that soliciting feedback from my team and peers is essential for continuous improvement. Here are a few tips: Create a culture of feedback. Let your team know that feedback is welcome and valued. Encourage them to give and receive feedback. Don't just ask "What do you think?" Instead, ask specific questions about your work, your leadership style, or your team's dynamics. Be receptive to feedback. When you receive feedback, listen carefully and avoid getting defensive. Thank the person for their feedback. Once you've collected feedback, take some time to reflect on it. Then, make a plan to implement the feedback and share your progress with your team and peers

Gathering feedback constantly provides a breeding ground for success and cohesion. As a Leader/ Manager, when you put yourself for accountability, seeking out ways to improve, encouraging genuine discussions and empathetic communication, you are fuelling the growth of your own team. Team will always respect, trust and follow a genuine humble leader. Trust is earned so is the leadership title.

Embed Feedback in Regular Check-ins. Instead of waiting for quarterly or annual reviews, integrate feedback discussions into regular one-on-one meetings with team members. By dedicating even just a few minutes of these check-ins specifically to feedback, both positive and constructive, you create a consistent space for open communication. This not only normalizes the feedback process but also provides timely insights, allowing for immediate adjustments and fostering a proactive approach to professional development. Over time, these consistent feedback moments become second nature, reinforcing a culture of continuous improvement.

I would add not all feedback is actionable, some feedback will yield deeper learning opportunities to effectively change behavior. It's important we continuously learn from feedback as it relates to what you're able to change or learn from vs fielding complaints about things you don't have control over. Feedback is only useful if it can be practically applied. Yet, its important to listen and provide feedback on the feedback as well to make it a productive, open and helpful conversation.

Seek Clarity and Avoid Assumptions. When confronted with challenging feedback, it's essential not to jump to conclusions. Instead, ask probing questions to gain a deeper understanding of the concerns or issues raised. By seeking clarity, you ensure that you fully grasp the feedback's intent and specifics, avoiding potential misinterpretations. This approach also demonstrates your genuine interest in understanding and addressing the feedback, which can foster trust and openness. Remember, feedback is a two-way street; while it's important to listen, it's equally crucial to ensure clear comprehension for actionable outcomes.