How to fine-tune your professional feedback skills

Giving feedback, as well as hearing it, requires a degree of skill, so as to ensure the message is received in a professional and helpful manner.

Professional feedback is a crucial aspect of working life as it enables employees to build upon their skills and improve in areas that require it, while also giving the workforce the opportunity to engage in open, transparent discussion with management. 

When approached with the right attitude, feedback, regardless of the direction it goes in, has the potential to improve workplace relationships, motivate staff and prevent conflict. However, if poorly approached, feedback is merely criticism and not the helpful kind. Read on to discover how to expertly dish and take constructive criticism. 

Choose your setting wisely

Location is key when it comes to giving someone feedback in regard to their work or how they present themselves, whether that is in person or online. If you are working in person, the most professional way to speak with someone would be in private, away from eavesdroppers, particularly if significant improvements need to be made.

In relation to remote workers, they also have an expectation of privacy. If they are the subject of a quarterly or annual review, that process should take place via a private video chat. Group feedback is an acceptable and often mutually useful tool to address common issues in a team, so long as it is relevant to everyone present. 

The workplace is full of different personalities, who will respond to feedback in unique ways. So it can be helpful to take into account personal preferences, to ensure the feedback is effective and not adversely affected by other factors, such as location or the presence of others who are unrelated to the conversation. 

Keep it constructive

A common mistake made by people when reflecting on someone else’s work is a confusion between useful feedback and unbalanced criticism. Feedback should be clear, relevant and delivered in a way so that it can help the person improve. 

Criticism, on the other hand, is just pointing out errors, without attempting to guide the person through their mistake for a better outcome next time around. Finding a balance between constructive criticism and regular old criticism is crucial, therefore people often use the sandwich method, which involves layering positive comments around the negative one, so as not to discourage or demotivate. 

Language and tone are also incredibly important. Never forget, you are in a professional setting and your choice of words and the sound of your voice should always reflect this. Ultimately, when giving feedback you are there as a mentor and supervisor, aiming to build up someone’s skills and comments should never be personal or targeted. 

Make it timely

Feedback needs to be delivered in a timely manner, so that the person involved has a clear recollection of their actions. If you are citing grievances from months ago, it stands to reason that, not only might the person not care about an issue that hasn’t been an issue for quite a while, they may not even recall the mistake. 

Regular meetings or correspondence designed to give feedback in a timely manner can be useful to both groups. Additionally, there should be evidence of the error, so the employee can see the specifics of where they went wrong. Non-specific feedback may only lead to confusion and the potential to repeat mistakes. 

It’s a two-way street

Keeping a balanced perspective when it comes to constructive criticism is vital. Feedback is a two-way street and employees should have the opportunity to contribute to the working environment with suggestions regarding how operations can be improved, as well as the freedom to bring professional concerns to the attention of management. 

Ultimately, none of us are perfect and we should all be open to efforts designed to help us improve in our roles. As long as criticism is approached constructively, with the person and their career goals at the centre, feedback can be exactly what you need to progress. 

So, if you keep it relevant and offer solutions, you will help build a culture of feedback that works to improve the individual and company culture. 

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