How to overcome 'Good' Feedback

“When we make progress and get better at something, it is inherently motivating. In order for people to make progress, they have to get feedback and information on how they are doing.”

– Daniel H. Pink

If you have a growth mindset, you likely find feedback from your manager on your performance helpful. Getting useful feedback can be difficult if your manager is someone who always says, "Just keep doing what you're doing", or, "You're doing great", or if they are a "no news is good news" type of person.

If you're not getting the detailed feedback you need, you may be asking the wrong question. Generic questions like, "How am I going?" or "Could you please provide me with feedback on my current performance?" will generally elicit generic responses.

One way to get detailed feedback is to walk your manager through a specific situation or issue you recently tackled or are still attacking.

Preface the conversation by telling your manager that you'd like to take them through your thought process, get some ideas on how it could have been approached differently, and validate your thinking on the matter. Then get into specifics:

• What is the issue or task at hand?
• What is the desired end state?
• What steps have you taken so far?
• Who have you spoken to? Who are the key stakeholders?
• What are the policy, procedures and governance you have considered?
• What resources have you called on? What resources do you need?
• What obstacles have you faced, and how have you overcome them? What obstacles are you still expecting?

The aim is to give your manager access to your problem-solving processes. As you outline your thinking, invite your manager to ask questions and provide comments. These questions and comments will give you access to what your manager thinks of your process and give you the detailed feedback you need.

By following this formula, you take control of your performance conversation, remove it from the realms of the general and move into the specific. You are more likely to get actionable intelligence about how you can improve. You provide insight to your manager on how you think and what your strengths are. Finally, you may find some areas where you require development and can provide helpful evidence to your manager to support you in that development.

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This is an updated version of a blog posted on the Campbell Leadership Solutions Website on 17 April 2019.