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Organizations have invested a lot of time and money to develop effective employee communications and interpersonal skills. The intent is to create a working environment which supports the day to day free flow of communication and ideas.
A critical component of engaging co-workers and staff is providing each other with constructive feedback and criticism. This goes for the entire food chain involving the entry-level worker to executive.
This can contribute to performance growth for both the employee and organization.
Some argue that receiving feedback maybe the more difficult skill and mindset to develop since feedback is an evaluative process, involving both positive and negative comments.
Most of us are protective of our ideas, our ways of doing things and who we are. Getting criticism, even done properly, can make us defensive and feel threatened.
My close family friend and IT business guru James Anderson a technical support professional captures the feedback process perfectly when he states, “We have been conditioned to get defensive when receiving criticism versus looking at someone guiding you for success.”
Suggested guidelines to facilitate receiving feedback:
- Change your mindset, unlearn past behaviors and be open to feedback. Think of it as receiving information to potentially enhance your development.
- Think about what they are stating and ask for specific examples.
- Be aware of your emotions and manage them.
- Listen closely and control the urge to respond; let the person complete their observations.
- Is this new information or something that you have heard before?
- Reflect back to clarify and confirm your understanding of their points.
- Ask to schedule a follow-up to get time to consider what you heard.
- Respond to one point at a time with your perspective on each.