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As an employee, it can be intimidating to provide feedback for managers, regardless of tenure. You don’t want your intentions to be misunderstood, but if you’re not giving feedback to your manager, how will they know how to support you on your career journey?
If you’re part of an organization where feedback is essential to the culture, then you have an obligation to provide feedback. The four steps listed below are designed to prepare you for these necessary conversations and allow you to deliver feedback to your manager or other leaders in your company.
When giving feedback to your manager, you want to make sure you effectively get your points across. If you’re feeling nervous or intimidated, it can be helpful to jot down what you plan to say and go over your talking points with a peer. Speaking to a trusted colleague prior to this interaction will allow them to hold you accountable for delivering this message, but they can also serve as a listening ear, someone to role-play with and rehearse what you are going to say.
There’s no question that it can be scary to give feedback to your manager. You want to communicate what you’re feeling in a way that makes sense to them and will allow you both to tackle the problem and move forward. When starting these conversations, it can be helpful to admit your vulnerability. If you admit to whoever is receiving your feedback that you’re nervous about this conversation, it can disarm the situation and allow all parties to approach it more openly.
For workers, it’s important to create settings to ask for additional feedback. This could look like scheduling routine touchpoints with your team and making sure you have regular communication with your manager. If you are working remotely, it could be helpful to set up time where your manager can virtually shadow you or plan an in-office visit to give yourself the opportunity to ask questions, communicate your feelings and in turn, get that feedback and perspective on your own performance.
Make sure to find a location that’s private when providing feedback. It’s far less likely that your feelings will be well-received during a team-wide meeting or in a public setting. Make it clear that you would like to have a conversation with your manager and set up a time where you are one-on-one to do so.
Delivering positive or constructive feedback effectively requires specificity of language. As stated above, you want to make sure that there is no chance your intentions could be misinterpreted or misconstrued. It is also equally as important to deliver the feedback kindly. If it is constructive feedback you’re relaying it is important that you reflect on your emotional state, ensuring you’re in a place where you can deliver the feedback without negative emotions taking over. Gather your thoughts and find an appropriate time for the conversation.
Open lines of communication and regular feedback allows for employers and their employees to further their development. It’s essential that leaders know how they are coming across and how their actions are being viewed by their team. If you are not letting them know how they can best support you, then you risk inhibiting your own growth and career development. Feedback-rich cultures benefit leaders and their workforce alike, fostering career growth and helping to curate a high-performing organization.
Visit our Career Advice page for more tips on developing professional relationships, providing feedback and career growth.
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