"Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.", Mark Twain
The Mindset
Feedback is all about your Kaizen and not anyone or anything else. It starts with you asking for it and it perpetuates with you extracting value out of it and eventually adapting your behaviour accordingly. However it doesn't end there. Imagine the impression of junior staff when asked for their feedback on senior staff! You have to be a fan of 360-feedback. Think in value added instead of hierarchy and rank.
Don't expect feedback from others as a given and don't try to force feedback on anyone without having been asked for it. Not all people like to give feedback, let alone receive it. Any form of feedback requires a strong urge towards improvement as well as an open mind. Without either of those any feedback will be rendered futile. In order to progress in life and to improve professionally the assessments and perspectives of others can not be overvalued. Proactively asking for feedback will also send a vigorous signal towards the feedback provider: that you value her opinion and appreciate her help in your personal or professional improvement. At this point I probably should out myself: I am in permanent cheat mode, when it comes to certain topics in the field of personnel and staff. My closest feedback-buddy is my wife, who happens to also be an expert on HR related topics. (As a Vice President at Deutsche Post DHL you could say she has some merits in that field.) To my advantage she also knows she can/must be 100% open and honest with me. That does not mean that you should only collect feedback from people whose assessment you appreciate - or who you actually share a bed with. The value in feedback is less determined by whom it is given, but rather in its discrete ability to create awareness for those things you might have missed otherwise.
The Culture
Feedback culture can be a tricky subject. Of course every company will promote its own feedback culture and foster values like honesty, open mindedness, and improvement highly...of course. Just keep in mind that it is one thing to promote a culture but another to engrain it into everyday practice and let actions follow. A very formal feedback culture can be deceptive, because often feedback is mistaken for a performance review. The difference is this: A performance review is any kind of assessment of your past performance - end of story. Feedback is a personal reflection of your behaviour in a specific situation in order to help you improve. This can go both ways: to praise an effective behaviour or to correct an ineffective behaviour. If you encounter any form of formal feedback, e.g. in an open system, it should make you suspicious. Feedback is always best in a trusted one on one setting. What is said in a feedback is for the recipient only and must not compromise confidentiality. This is why I am a big fan of informal, brief and timely feedback.
The Process
The process ought to be fairly simple: A feedback process should always be triggered by the recipient. A 'feedback' that is triggered by the supplier is usually a wolf in sheep's clothing: it is more likely to be either a critique or a praise. Feedback should always be voluntary. You might even trigger a feedback as a provider by asking someone, if she would like to have any feedback. But unless she agrees to receive your take on her behaviour in a specific situation, I suggest you keep your nuggets to yourself. As feedback is most effective on specific behaviour, it has to occur in a timely context - for instance after a workshop, a presentation or a meeting. General feedback does not have the similar effect and should be avoided, e.g. 'project feedback' (basically a performance review), 'quarterly/yearly feedback' (same). Before giving feedback I scribble down a few key words as a chain of thought. Later I will give you method that helps you create such a narrative. When you receive feedback, always make notes and let the feedback sink in. As a recipeint try not to show any reaction regardless of positive or negative feedback - in the end it's not about your ego but about your long term development, so the value might only show at a later point. Don't be vain but instead take it as a gift and be grateful for a maximum of honesty.
The AID-Feedback Scheme: Simple and Effective
In my professional journey I have been through some leadership training and was able to learn a whole variety of different methods. The AID feedback is actually the only one I have been able recollect at any given moment without any guide. The
'A' is for action, meaning the witnessed behaviour,
'I' is for impact, in other words your impression or evaluation of the witnessed behaviour, and finally
'D' stands for future development that you suggest.
Pretty cool scheme, right? You guessed it: I got this from my wife :-D The AID feedback scheme is one of many and you'll find tons of other schemes. It is my favorite because it is the most simple and effective feedback sheme I know. Since I like to give and collect feedback spontaneously, I naturally avoid to go with any complicated scheme. Also, since I am convinced that the best feedbacks are those that are honest and made with little political agenda or preparation, my approach is to keep the effort around the feedback itself low and aim for long term relationships based on trust.
Five basic rules for giving great feedback
1. Give feedback only if asked for
2. Give feedback it in a timely and specific context
3. Describe the behaviour you have witnessed
4. Show a viable way forward i.e. suggest specific improvements in behaviours for future
5. Always end on a positive note
Three basic rules for receiving feedback
1. Ask for feedback proactively and for specific situations
2. Be open, listen and learn something
3. Show interest and ask questions instead of defending or justifying your behaviour
4. Take notes of your key takeaways and on the actions you plan
5. Show gratitude - after all it's an investment whose fruit you'll reap in the end
Congratulations! If you have read this far, you will have one of the most essential and effective tools for long term improvement -and with that for success in anything you do- at your disposition. Use this wisely and spread the word. Remember: Feedback starts with you, but does not end with you. Be awesome! Be a role model!
Comments