Get from where you are to where you want to be: Asking for Feedback

Have you ever asked for feedback, met with your manager or colleague, and then left the meeting realizing you barely got any meaningful and actionable feedback?

I’ve been there as well, in fact, most of us have.

Feedback in theory sounds easy, I ask for feedback and the other person has to be honest and constructive, however giving feedback is a skill, and it’s developed over time. Giving feedback can also be a stressful for the other person depending on how they perceive your reaction to what they’re about to tell you.

There’s a way to get ahead of these fears and discomforts, and that is by mastering the art of asking for feedback at work.

How to ask for feedback

1. Ask for honest feedback, and let the other person know you value their time and input. You’re looking for feedback to help you develop personally & professionally, and you’re looking for feedback that you can take action on in the future.
2. Ask future forward questions such as “What can I do better moving forward?”, instead of asking what you did wrong in the first place. People don’t like delivering criticism or what they see as “bad news”, but they do love giving advice. A future forward question is framed as advice, as opposed to feedback.
3. Ask specific and timed questions, such as “Can I get your take on the last report I presented to ABC client, what did you think of my use of visuals?”. Specific and times questions help others recall exact points in time, what they thought and how they felt about a particular scenario, therefore you are much more likely to get specific and actionable feedback. You can also ask for feedback about a specific skill you want to improve.

How to receive feedback

Learning how to ask for feedback and receiving valuable feedback are key to professional development in the workplace. Armored with your new found knowledge of how to ask for feedback, it’s important to consider the following when you’re receiving feedback from others.

▧ Be open and consider the other person’s perspective. We all see life through our own lens.

▧ Summarize what you heard and repeat it back to the other person, to ensure the message you’re receiving is the message being communicated.

▧ Ask clarifying questions to get deeper understanding. Clarifying questions include “When you said …, what did you mean?”, “I don’t have a clear understanding of what you said, can you explain it differently?”, “Could you repeat…”.

▧ Go in with a growth mindset. When it comes to feedback and professional development, having a growth mindset is important. This mindset puts a focus on the journey rather than the destination, failure or success is less important than what you did to get there, and what you can do in the future to achieve a different outcome.

“We can’t become what we need to be by remaining what we are.” — Oprah Winfrey

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