We are continually receiving and giving feedback. Whether explicit through oral or written language, or implicit in gestures or tone of voice, feedback conveys information most behaviours and offers an evaluation of the quality of those behaviours. While information technology is like shooting fish in a barrel to take feedback personally, strive to perceive information technology equally a learning opportunity. Feedback tin can reinforce existing strengths, go on goal-directed behaviour on course, clarify the furnishings of behaviour, and increase recipients' abilities to observe and remedy errors on their own. Use the tips below to receive and give feedback effectively.

Receiving feedback effectively

  • Listen to the feedback given. This means non interrupting. Hear the person out, and mind to what they are really saying, non what you assume they will say. Yous can absorb more than information if you are concentrating on listening and agreement rather than existence defensive and focusing on your response.
  • Exist aware of your responses. Your body language and tone of voice often speak louder than words. Try to avoid putting up barriers. If you lot wait distracted and bored, that sends a negative message equally well. Considerateness, on the other hand, indicates that yous value what someone has to say and puts both of you at ease.
  • Be open up. This means beingness receptive to new ideas and different opinions. Frequently, there is more than ane mode of doing something and others may take a completely dissimilar viewpoint on a given topic. You may acquire something worthwhile.
  • Sympathize the message. Brand sure you lot understand what is being said to you, especially earlier responding to the feedback. Ask questions for description if necessary. Listen actively by repeating key points so that you know you accept interpreted the feedback correctly. In a group environment, ask for others' feedback before responding. Every bit well, when possible, be explicit equally to what kind of feedback you lot are seeking beforehand and then you are not taken by surprise.
  • Reflect and decide what to do. Assess the value of the feedback, the consequences of using it or ignoring it, and then decide what to do considering of it. Your response is your choice. If you lot disagree with the feedback, consider asking for a 2nd stance from someone else.
  • Follow up. There are many ways to follow upwardly on feedback. Sometimes, your follow-upward will only involve implementing the suggestions given to yous. In other situations, you might want to gear up up another meeting to discuss the feedback or to re-submit the revised work.

Giving constructive feedback

Prioritize your ideas. Limit your feedback to the most important bug. Consider the feedback's potential value to the receiver and how you lot would respond – could you act on the feedback? Too, too much feedback provided at a single time can exist overwhelming to the recipient.

  • Concentrate on the behaviour, not the person. One strategy is to open past stating the behaviour in question, then describing how you feel nearly it, and ending with what you want. This model enables y'all to avert sounding accusatory by using "I" and focusing on behaviours, instead of assumed interpretations. Example: "I haven't seen you lot in class in for a week. I'm worried that you are missing of import information. Can nosotros meet before long to discuss it?"
    Instead of: "You manifestly don't care most this course!"
  • Balance the content. Use the "sandwich arroyo." Begin by providing comments on specific strengths. This provides reinforcement and identifies the things the recipient should keep doing. Then place specific areas of comeback and ways to make changes. Conclude with a positive comment. This model helps to bolster confidence and proceed the weak areas in perspective. Instance: "Your presentation was groovy. You fabricated proficient heart contact, and were well prepared. You were a little hard to hear at the dorsum of the room, but with some practice you can overcome this. Go on up the adept work!" Instead of: "You lot didn't speak loudly enough. However, the presentation went well."
  • Be specific. Avoid general comments that may exist of limited utilise to the receiver. Endeavour to include examples to illustrate your statement. Every bit well, offering alternatives rather than merely giving advice allows the receiver to make up one's mind what to do with your feedback.
  • Be realistic. Feedback should focus on what tin can exist changed. It is useless and frustrating for recipients to get comments on something over which they have no command. Also, call back to avoid using the words "e'er" and "never." People's behaviour is rarely that consequent.
  • Own the feedback. When offering evaluative comments, use the pronoun "I" rather than "they" or "one," which would imply that your opinion is universally agreed on. Retrieve that feedback is merely your stance.
  • Be timely. Seek an appropriate time to communicate your feedback. Beingness prompt is primal since feedback loses its impact if delayed too long. Delayed feedback can likewise cause feelings of guilt and resentment in the recipient if the opportunity for comeback has passed. Equally well, if your feedback is primarily negative, take fourth dimension to prepare what you will say or write.
  • Offer continuing support. Feedback should exist a continuous process, non a quondam event. After offering feedback, brand a conscious endeavour to follow upwardly. Let recipients know you are bachelor if they have questions, and, if appropriate, ask for another opportunity to provide more feedback in the futurity.

Resource

  • Dempsey, J.V. and G.C. Sales (Eds.). (1993) Interactive Teaching and Feedback. Educational Technology Publication. NJ: Englewood Cliffs
  • London, M. (1997) Job Feedback: Giving, Seeking, and Using Feedback for Operation Improvement. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
  • McGill, I. and L. Beaty (1995) Action Learning. 2nd Ed. London: Kogan Page Ltd.

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