rTips for Giving Effective Feedback | Brook Lang Seattle | Professional Overview

How do you give effective feedback? This is a question many people ask themselves on the job. Unfortunately, giving feedback is not always easy. Feedback can be constructive or destructive, and you need to make sure that your recipient understands what you are trying to say before you start. In this article, we will discuss tips for giving effective feedback to help both the receiver of the message and yourself.

Be realistic

If your goal is not achievable, then it’s best to go back to the drawing board and figure out what can be done instead of wasting time trying something that will never happen.

Own feedback

Always keep your emotions out of the equation and focus on what can be done to benefit everyone involved. Remember that every project has its own set of challenges and setbacks; there’s nothing wrong with trying new things just so long as they’re beneficial to all parties involved.

Keep it professional

When giving feedback, be aware of the people you are talking to and how they will use what you’re saying for their benefit. When in doubt, always ask yourself if your input would help them do their job better or not.

Balance content with delivery

The way you deliver your feedback is just as important, if not more so than the content. Remember that sometimes there are better ways to express yourself than others and always aim for a constructive conversation rather than an argument. When in doubt, leave emotions out of the equation and remember that nothing’s final until both parties come up with a solution.

Timely delivery

If possible, feedback should be given promptly. Timely delivery will allow your recipient to work on the message that you’re trying to convey right away and use it for their advantage before they lose interest or forget about what you’ve said altogether.

Be specific

Be specific about the feedback you are giving. Use “I” statements to make it easier for your receiver to take in what you have said.

Organize yourself

Only give one piece of constructive criticism at a time so that they can focus on improving this aspect before moving on to another one. If they fix everything, then great! But it is better to focus on one thing at a time.

Originally published at https://brooklangseattle.com on January 25, 2022.