Feedback at work can’t always be positive, but when it’s handled well, it can stimulate motivation and improve performance. After all, people want to succeed in their jobs and are generally open to feedback. Have a look at the conversation below and write down the words and phrases you might find useful in this context.
Expressions in context
Mike has just given a presentation to a group of potential clients. His boss takes the chance to give him some constructive feedback.
Mike: So, how do you think it went?
Chrissie: Pretty well – you did a very good job. There are a couple of things, though, that you might be able to improve on.
Mike: I’d be really interested to hear your suggestions.
Chrissie: Well, it’s always important to make a positive impression on potential clients. And these company presentations are part of that process. I have a couple of ideas about how you can make your presentations even more impactful.
Mike: Fire away!
Chrissie: I noticed that you tended to talk mainly to the boss in the group.
Mike: Did I? I didn’t realize that.
Chrissie: You need to make eye contact with everyone so that they feel fully included. They’ll be telling their boss their opinions, and we want them to be positive.
Mike: I’ll watch out for that in future. You said you had a couple of ideas.
Chrissie: I also noticed the large number of slides you used.
Mike: Were there too many?
Chrissie: I think so. We don’t need to go into quite as much detail in a first meeting. Just concentrate on a few key messages.
Mike: Point taken. Thanks for that.
Chrissie: No problem. As I said, your presentation was very good. Just remember to include the whole group and use fewer slides next time.
Remember!
“Bad feedback damages confidence, trust, self-esteem and well-being because the employee is made to feel as though they are not good enough,” says Dr Oluwasoye Mafimisebi of De Montfort University Leicester. “Constructive feedback does the exact opposite. It helps build personal resilience, mobilize resources, motivate and reach out beyond personal limitations.”
There are five key steps to constructive feedback:
- Communicate its purpose. Explain what you’ll be discussing and why it’s important. The more details and facts you include, the better the person whose work is being reviewed will be able to relate to the situation you’re describing.
- Describe what you’ve seen and share your thoughts in an open, positive way. Describe observable behaviour so that your conversation partner knows what to change for the better.
- Give the person whose work is being reviewed plenty of time to respond to your feedback.
- Offer specific suggestions or solutions. Be as detailed as you can.
- Summarize what was discussed and agree on the next steps.