Feedback – you either love or hate giving it, right?

But whether you look forward to cheering on a stellar performance, or dread discussing what needs immediate attention, feedback is important.

From my vantage point as an Executive Coach, I see that many organizations encourage providing feedback only once or twice per year.

What if I told you that 60% of team members in a targeted LinkedIn survey value professional feedback on a daily or weekly basis? 

And that this rate increases to 72% for those under 30!

We all crave feedback, and knowing how to provide it (and accept it!) is crucial for stimulating growth, boosting engagement, and amping up productivity. 

So how should leaders provide what team members want?

For starters, it’s helpful to create an open feedback culture that delivers constructive and timely feedback frequently.

I’ll share some best practices from some of the amazing leaders I coach.

What Is Open Feedback Culture?

When feedback is part of the everyday workflow, it becomes less of a hierarchical exercise and more of a motivational opportunity. 

An open feedback culture is inherently psychologically safe. It encourages team members to share assertively but still respectfully. It allows both leaders and team members to express concerns and spotlight issues that might be interfering with their individual and joint performance.

Open feedback also means reciprocal exchange rather than a top-down directive with dos and don’ts. It encompasses both constructive delivery and constructive response.

There are so many benefits to feedback when delivered skillfully. It:

• Makes team members feel valued and appreciated, which boosts their confidence
• Catalyzes professional growth
• Improves workplace communication
• Fosters trust between colleagues
• Empowers team members to uncover their unique strengths and amplify them 

We all know that feedback is often a sensitive matter and tricky to master. So let’s explore some tips for success.

6 Tips for Giving Feedback in the Workplace

Create a Safe Environment

According to the Harvard Business Review, a feedback-rich culture is achieved by focusing on four criteria: safety and trust, balance, normalcy, and personal accountability.

Safety is key. Anything that hints at a confrontation might induce a fight-or-flight stress response.

Leaders who approach feedback both authentically and empathetically make team members feel safe. Authentic leadership creates trust. When trust is abundant, team members commit their energy to the mission.

Amp up Empathy

Taking time to listen when delivering any kind of feedback increases its positive impact. 

Focusing on what others are feeling and acknowledging their emotion makes them feel heard and valued.

Expressing empathy when delivering feedback does not signal that you necessarily agree with the recipient’s point of view. Neither does it preclude you from engaging in healthy debate to build a better approach or outcome.

What empathic listening during feedback dialogue does is show that you value a team member’s perspective and are dedicated to jointly achieving more or greater success.

Increase Frequency 

Unlike organizations in which performance reviews happen once or twice a year, in an open feedback culture, feedback conversations happen with regularity.

While there is no rigid rule about feedback frequency, aiming for a short dialogue once a week – either in a group setting or on a one-on-one basis – will foster ongoing communication and normalize a feedback loop. 

A quick reminder here that feedback by definition can be (and sometimes should be!) 100% positive. The best boost any employee can receive is a radically positive shout-out, either privately or publicly, from their senior manager!

Follow a 5:1 Ratio of Positive to Negative Feedback

While positive feedback is a magical formula for motivation, negative feedback can actually increase productivity substantially. 

Researchers found that negative feedback alerts and challenges. It can prevent professionals from becoming complacent. It can also help them address potential career derailers and focus on where to up-skill.

Negative or constructive feedback is most effective when it is timely, specific, and focused on business impact, rather than on personal failing.

But hang on, because the ratio is critical!

A study by the Harvard Business Review revealed the ideal praise-to-criticism ratio to be 5:1. (I’ve seen some other studies that call it at 4:1 or 3:1, but the message about positive feedback is loud and clear!)

Try the Stop-Start-Continue Template

The simple and popular “Stop-Start-Continue” template for feedback first addresses what is not working, then what is needed, and finally, what is working. 

This framework often helps managers focus on growth and acknowledgment, instead of dwelling solely on the negative.

Use the 3-Step Assertive Feedback Framework

The more robust 3-Step Assertive Message framework helps you respectfully deliver feedback that aims to have a positive impact on business outcomes.

Whether addressing a positive or negative perception, all variations stick to the same 3 steps:

Step 1 – Name it.

Start with “When you…” and describe the activity or behavior that you are giving feedback on or would like to change – in non-judgemental terms.

For example: When you start talking before I’ve completed my sentence…

Step 2 – Frame it.

Continue the sentence with “I feel…” and describe how the actions in step one make you feel.

For example: When you start talking before I’ve completed my sentence, I feel frustrated…

Step 3 – Change it.

Finish the sentence with “Because…” and explain the tangible, work-related result or the precise effect that this behavior has caused.

For example: When you start talking before I’ve completed my sentence, I feel frustrated because the newer members of the team don’t get to hear all the steps they need to complete the process.

What comes next is an opening for dialogue with empathic listening. The simplest opener is: Let’s talk. 

Again, this framework works wonders with positive feedback as well. It’s more impactful than the ‘ole cursory “great job!” It gives positive feedback some weight, or oomph!

Use Feedback Tools to Gather Actionable Information

Feedback tools that gather external perceptions play a crucial role in developing individual and team capabilities. They help gather the data needed to engage in robust feedback conversations. 

Feedback tools can be incredibly motivating, too. When team members understand how others perceive them, they naturally boost the self-awareness needed to move into action, amplifying their best personal brand attributes and diminishing others. 

Enhance Your Open Feedback Culture

Speaking of tools… 

360Reach Personal Brand Survey is a cool tool for helping team members get the real scoop and move into action. It’s a turn-key survey that collects and analyzes perceptions from personal and professional networks and provides a 3D reputation snapshot.

With external feedback, professionals are better positioned to pump up their strengths and put the lid on potential derailers.

Take the first step with 360Reach Personal Brand Survey. It’s a natural fit with an open feedback culture!