“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”– Bill Gates, Co-founder of Microsoft
While we all agree with what Gates says about feedback, how many of us actually know how to give feedback without feeling awkward or share valuable and effective feedback.
Here are 5 tips that will help you to give feedback effectively.
Question your biases.
Before you share feedback, ensure you question your biases. Giving feedback that’s rooted in ableism, sexism, or racism isn’t feedback!
Feedback should be a dialog.
When you give feedback, ensure that the receiver has space to respond. Keep in mind how the power dynamics may affect the conversation.
Discuss the impact (why).
Share an impact statement so that the person you’re giving feedback to can understand the impact of what you’re trying to say.
Make your feedback specific and direct.
Provide data that is objective and includes examples. Avoid vague language or generalizations and stay small.
It’s worth it!
When you give high-quality feedback, ultimately, both parties will grow and learn from the experience.
