Things I Learned About Feedback

"You didn't get this role not because you lack expertise or vision. Not even because you lack experience. You didn't get it, because we wanted you first to learn how to be managed."

Have you ever received feedback that is so painful at the beginning, yet feels so right over the span of years? The day I received news about this selection will stay in my heart of the longest time. But not because I didn't receive the role. It was because of the feedback. How is it possible that after so many years of being in various teams, it's difficult for my manager to lead me?

This feedback became of such a great importance to my further growth. Becoming more humble, empathetic, building better relationships with my manager and team. Ultimately, becoming better as a person and a leader. Truly, the feedback, shared with constructive criticism and care is the most powerful way to help someone grow.

So how do organisations create space for everyone in the company to share openly their feedback with each other?

?How can you create a strong culture of feedback and turn this amazing tool that you have into a fabulous growth tool?

Coming from Ukraine, which is characterised by the culture of direct feedback and not afraid of confrontation, I thought it was an easy process for people to be direct, yet caring. However, working with so many nationalities in one office, has taught me a valuable lesson. Feedback is a very sensitive process to handle. However, if you manage to build it right for your organisation, it can create miracles. More happy employees. Identified areas for growth. Support system to level everyone up. Creating more trusting relationships. 

The first step in creating a culture of strong feedback is educating your company on importance of feedback. Emphasising when feedback is actually not working:

• When it’s about everything and nothing at the same time

A generic information, that is not tied to any concrete facts or actions

• “Let me just tell everything what I think”

Absence of suggestions about potential changes and improvements

• “Who are you to give me this feedback!”

Absence of respect to the person, who gives you feedback

• “I’m afraid to hurt your feelings”

Fear to upset someone with your feedback

• “What if I will be fired?”

Fear to ruin professional relationship

• Physical barriers

Not the right time, space to give feedback

• Bias
• Lack of self-confidence

Based on my own experience, it’s best to separate the feedback that you gather as employee and manager. In a workplace context, the managers and team members have different responsibilities, therefore by separating feedbacks for these 2 groups of people, you will make it more specific, hence more effective.

Feedback can not be processed alone. It needs to be discussed, reflected, and essentially worked on. Or else it will be just a pile of suggestions that has never been touched. As a manager, you can create space for your team to use feedback as a growth tool. And in no way as a punishment or reward tool.

Therefore, it’s very important to build the culture of feedback (what works best for you) and communicate it to the team. Some companies use feedback 360 tool as the way to promote team members, others - use it only as growth tool.

What will be your way? Why do you want to create space for feedback in your company?

Understanding your “why” will help you understand what tools are actually needed. Why is it important to treat feedback 360 as a growth tool? The famous researcher Carol Dweck suggests that intelligence and talent are not fixed traits and that the true mark of success is one’s ability to learn. To me, it also changes the culture of know-it-alls into the culture of learn-it-alls in your organisation. Feedback is the perfect tool to shift the perspective of your team and create a strong culture of continuous learning. 

When you experience performance issue, let me put it straight, feedback won’t help to change the behaviour of the person. Yes, it’s useful first or second time, but if you experience constant performance issues with the employee, you need to approach them from another perspective - maybe the employee has been mishired, or perhaps it’s a culture misfit.

What is your belief about feedback? How do you bring it to your organisation? Share your comments with me!