By now, we all know that careful and constructive feedback can transform the culture of an organization in the most positive ways. Best of all, feedback can build trust among your team, co-workers, and executive team. Feedback is one of the most basic ways we can give and get honest answers, drive positive change, and engage your team. All of these critical pieces can come from your positive feedback culture.
Don’t Just Give, Ask
Feedback is a two-way street. Yes, it is critical that you are skilled in providing constructive feedback to your team, but are you asking them to give you feedback, too? Often called a “360 review,” asking your staff and peers to provide you with a review is a great way to build trust. By asking, you are signaling that their input is essential to you. And that you are open and willing to hear from them. Your team’s opinions matter, and this shows them that you are interested in hearing what they have to say.
Take it a step further and act. Once you have delivered thoughtful and honest feedback, use that to find blind spots and areas for your improvement. Let this shape your behavior where appropriate. Schedule follow-up and keep at it. Of course, you’ll have to be prepared to hear the good and the bad and to commit to making some changes if necessary. But this could be a critical step for you and your team towards building trust.
Take Care when Giving Feedback
Let’s face it; we are all vulnerable when receiving feedback. Feedback is an evaluation of performance and skills. And there is bound to be mention of flaws or shortcomings. Take time to prepare useful and engaging content beforehand. Be thoughtful in your delivery and take care with others’ feelings. While there might be a tendency to lean into areas for improvement, make sure you can highlight the good, too.
Taking time to get prepared to give feedback will not only keep you on track, but this shows your team that you care. If you’ve put effort into making feedback meaningful for your team, it will show that you are interested in their growth and success, too.
Get Engaged, Stay Engaged
Transforming your culture with feedback doesn’t just happen once a year. It happens all the time in structured sessions with constructive exchanges and the moment with positive messages. Listen to what your team is telling you and take action. Schedule follow up and keep yourself and your team accountable. Feedback is not a one and done concept. The more you can integrate meaningful feedback into your regular calendar, the more you’ll benefit from it. Make this part of your weekly routine. Your team wants to hear from you, and you owe them this piece of communication.
Building trust with your team doesn’t happen overnight. But the rewards you can gain by committing to regular feedback are worth the commitment. Work with your team to build trust, continue to engage, and drive your company onto bigger and better all the time. We love feedback, and we love helping others use it to transform their workplace culture. Contact us and let us know how we can help you and your team. Subscribe here to stay up to date with The Back Feed!