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Manager's Briefcase
Giving and Receiving Feedback - Chapter 8
Editor’s note: This issue contains the last of eight installments of Pam’s materials. If you need to catch up, please read previous chapters using the links above..
Chapter Eight - Developing Your Feedback Skills
Chapter Objectives
- Reassess your current feedback skills.
- Create an action plan for improving your feedback skills.
Reassessing Your Feedback Skills
At the beginning of this series, you had the opportunity to assess your current feedback skills. Now it’s time to develop an action plan for improving those areas in which you were weak.
The following statements represent feedback skills that you have learned about in this class. Check each statement that you would like to incorporate into your personal action plan.
| Skills for Giving Effective Feedback | |
| I will pick an appropriate time and place to give feedback. | |
| I will keep my emotions in check, remain calm, and keep my voice even. | |
| I will provide specific, detailed information about the teammate’s behavior or performance. | |
| I will explain the impact the teammate’s actions are having on the team or organization. | |
| I will really listen to the responses of those receiving my feedback. | |
| I will clarify my expectations if there is any confusion about the action in question. | |
| I will remember to thank and encourage the receivers of my feedback. | |
| I will provide input as needed in developing an action plan for meeting behavioral or performance goals. | |
| I will focus on the steps of the feedback process to keep the dialogue on track. | |
| I will try to understand feedback from the other person’s point of view and preferred communication style. | |
| Skills for Receiving Feedback Effectively | |
| I will truly listen to what feedback givers are saying. | |
| I will keep feedback in perspective and won’t overreact. | |
| I will try to learn from all feedback, even if it’s given poorly. | |
| I will admit to and learn from questions about my performance or behavior at work. | |
| I will attempt to turn every feedback session into a useful encounter. | |
| I will accept redirection and reinforcement rather than denying them. | |
| I will accept responsibility for my role in achieving individual, team, and organizational goals. | |
| I will accept responsibility for developing solutions to performance and behavioral problems that threaten goals. | |
| I will accept responsibility for keeping my emotions in check during feedback discussions. | |
| I will listen and learn in all feedback situations. | |
Developing an Action Plan
Take some time now to develop an action plan for improving those skills that you checked. There are any number of ways that you can develop your skills at giving and receiving feedback. Here are a few you might try:
- Identify another person in your organization who you believe gives and receives feedback effectively and observe that person. Take note of the things that person does that makes his or her feedback effective. Then try to develop those actions yourself.
- Is there a person in your organization to whom you frequently give feedback? Ask that person to rate your skills. Do you give that person enough information so that he or she can effectively improve behavior and performance, or is that person often confused by your feedback? Based on that person’s response, determine which feedback skills you need to improve.
- Is there a person in your organization who frequently gives you feedback? Do you accept that person’s feedback with an open mind, or do you become defensive and make excuses? Ask that person to rate your skills as a feedback recipient, and determine if there are things you can do to improve those skills.
- Talk to someone in your organization who deals with feedback situations effectively, and ask that person to be your mentor. You might try role-playing feedback situations with that person so that you can practice both giving and receiving feedback in a comfortable environment.
- Learn more about feedback and communication skills. American Media has a number of excellent books and videos that can help you.
- Practice your feedback skills whenever possible. Don’t shy away from the need to respond to another teammate’s behavior or performance, and encourage your associates and coworkers to do the same for you.
As you consider these options, choose two or three that you would like to try and create an action plan for following through on them in the next few weeks. Your plan could look something like this:
Take the self-assessments from the beginning of this class again after you’ve had a few months to develop your skills, and see if you score differently. With a little practice, you’ll soon be able to give your associates, coworkers, and supervisors useful feedback, and you’ll be able to effectively receive feedback that will help you achieve your own professional goals.
Feedback Action Plan
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