To give or not to give: How to tackle feedback at work?

Recalling an incident where she had to give feedback at work, Devyani Saxena shares that it took a lot of courage. “It felt difficult to share feedback because I was focusing on the person’s seniority instead of the quality of the work delivered,” says Saxena, product manager at Simpl.?

What turned into a heated exchange of arguments, leaving Saxena in tears due to the discomfort she had experienced, taught her that giving and receiving feedback enables professionals to stay open to new perspectives. Whether it is your colleague or a supervisor, every individual’s approach to problem-solving is shaped by their previous experiences and “...what may be obvious to me, is and may not necessarily be obvious to the people I work with,” she deduced.?

Which brings us to the question: What role does feedback play in career advancement?

Room for improvement

According to Arjun Nath, head of Post Hire Practice - Human Capital Solutions at Aon India, feedback often carries a negative connotation. However, he calls the practice positive and future-looking. “Receiving feedback provides you with an opportunity to pause and reflect on your performance and use the valuable insights to improve yourself,” Nath says.?

Also, for positive feedback to work, the recognition needs to come across as meaningful and genuine, given with intent and highlighting the achievements.A report by employee recognition firm O.C.Tanner — based on 36,000 global employees — found that at least two in five of them considered the recognition received at work as empty gestures.??

Based on her own experience, Saxena shares that constructive feedback helped her identify her key strength areas, which she would’ve overlooked otherwise. “Feedback also highlights areas of improvement, acting as a healthy reminder to level up,” she adds.

Nath believes that feedback can be leveraged to learn new skills, improve performance, strengthen relationships, leading to personal as well as professional growth. He also recommends leaders to actively seek feedback instead of waiting for a formal process. “Being open to asking for feedback makes leaders more approachable and improves working relationships,” Nath adds.

The good…

The road to success, however, doesn’t end at receiving the assessment. The next step in the process requires a response. This is key, Nath suggests, as it highlights that you value the inputs while also demonstrating your determination to work on it. Nath shares the following ways to go about it:?

?? Be an active listener and give utmost attention to the viewpoints. Refrain from interrupting the speaker as it can break the flow of the conversation. Make sure to take notes.?

?? Take a pause to reflect on the comments and identify gaps that may need to be addressed. Ask yourself what you could’ve done differently. Ask for clarification, if needed.?

?? If you don’t have a solution or an answer, stay open to asking for help and support.?

? Appreciate the feedback provider’s time and efforts of don’t forget to thank them at the end of the conversation.?

??? Break the assessment into actionable steps.

?? Set up a follow-up call to discuss these objectives and track movement.?

…and the bad?

On the receiving end of negative feedback? Let the speaker complete their assessment, Saxena suggests, adding that every time you feel restless and get the urge to speak in your defence, take a deep breath. Do not focus on the choice of words, she draws caution, adding that instead of jumping to conclusions, take some time to document the conversation in retrospect.??

“Negative feedback can be quite emotionally draining for both, the giver and the receiver, and it’s important to maintain a positive frame of mind,” shares Shilpa Rao, senior partner - Purpose Institute, Tata Consultancy Services.?

As opposed to playing defence, staying curious, and requesting specific clarifications with examples can also help turn the conversation into a positive one, and may shift the perspective of the person giving the feedback.??

To overcome the spiral of self-doubt, think of your next moves and work towards damage control, career coach Dhairya Gangwani shares. If the event affects your confidence levels or self-esteem, give yourself reassurance by revisiting your previous accomplishments and use it as a reminder of your capabilities.?

When tables are turned

To be mindful when you are the one giving feedback, Rao suggests approaching it with a coaching mindset — helping the receiver find their own path and solutions. Start with strengths, celebrate successes, and highlight their contributions. Make it a discussion about building capabilities instead of focusing on shortcomings, she adds.?

“Don’t beat around the bush as it leads to confusion,” says Gangwani, adding that the conversation should take place in-person rather than opting for a public one, and in a polite manner.

For Nath, STAR technique works best while preparing to give your assessment. He suggests keeping the dialogue simple, factual, and specific to a given situation. “Don’t make it personal,” he adds.?

Sharing personal experiences can help, according to Saxena, who suggests making it a win-win situation by choosing the right words to communicate and stating clear actionable points that the receiver can act on.

“Feedback is important to understand where you stand with respect to your boss and your peers. Without feedback you will be running a race blindfolded. It’s important to seek feedback at regular intervals especially from your boss because (a) it makes him/her think and (b) it ensures that there is consistency and continuity. When it comes to negative feedback, try to focus on the action and outcome rather than the person.” – Krishna Gopal, Global Head - Sales Enablement, Tech Mahindra

?? Mamaearth’s Ghazal Alagh considers feedback a success driver in building a business. Check out this post to learn more.

?? Reliance Brands Limited’s former AVP Jasleen Kaur G shares three rules of feedback in this post.

?? “Feedback given in a trustful setting shouldn't be seen as a deterrent but as a stepping stone,” Bizongo’s director of Artwork Flow Arjita Kulshreshtha shares. See this post for her tips on giving feedback.???

??Page Industries’ chief learning officer Coach Ram shares his insights on ways to leverage feedback to reach success in this post.

• In this newsletter by LinkedIn’s Senior News Editor Cayla Dengate, Canva’s global head of people Jennie Rogerson shares why “Tell me about a time when you’ve given feedback that really made a difference,” is her recent favourite question to ask in a job interview.
• The power of praise at work. Here’s a piece by LinkedIn’s Editor Taylor Borden that highlights the importance of feeling valued at work.
• How to give feedback to a manager. Check out this piece to handle a situation where your manager asks for honest feedback.

How to give and receive feedback at work? This LinkedIn Learning course by RISE Learning Solutions’s founder Lorraine Lee suggests different strategies to create a positive feedback experience.

This is the sixth edition of the biweekly newsletter from Get Hired by LinkedIn News India. Each issue aims to provide insights on everything jobs-related combined with expert views and member voices. Click here to read the previous edition that highlights new trends like “Loud Leaving” and “Monk Mode” that aim to overcome burnout and achieve better work-life balance.

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By?Dipal Desai — LinkedIn News Editor covering jobs and career development in India.

Creator Managers:?Raunak Ramteke,?Neha Upalekar, Rakshit Ravindranathan