How to Get Honest Feedback From Your Peers
Content
How to get honest feedback from your peers
without putting them on the spot?
by Bhavin Gandhi
Managers who encourage their employees to give honest feedback
mostly find themselves improving the accuracy and productivity of
their quality of work. I know I have. Feedbacks often increase
employee satisfaction with their job by providing them with a voice and
valuing their opinions.
In my last blog, I have identified many hurdles due to which people
refrain from giving their honest feedback to you. And hence, in this
blog, I will provide you with few tips and tricks through which you can
get honest feedback from your peers, and eliminate any hurdles that
you might encounter.
Ask for it: Tell people you want their feedback. When people feel that their opinions and
observations may be used against them or that your feelings may be easily hurt, they withhold their
feedback. Thus, let them know that you consider their personal opinions, questions, and
disagreements, not only useful but also necessary. If you are hesitant to ask for their direct feedback,
try to use 360-degree feedback with the help of your HR Department. In that process, your peers,
superiors, subordinates, customers, suppliers, and sales staff provide their feedbacks anonymously
to you. So, you are more likely to get their honest feedback.
Be specific: When you ask for someone's feedback, they are mostly confused, as they don't know
where to start. That doesn’t mean that they don't want to provide their feedback, its just that they
don't know what you are looking for. Thus, before asking for the feedback, its your job to identify the
areas in which you want the feedback. If you want personal feedback, you might say, “I am trying to
improve my presentation's delivery and am interested in knowing how confident I appeared in
today’s meeting.” Similarly, if you want only feedback pertaining to the organization of your ideas,
then specify that topic.
Make it regular: Let’s assume that you are working for a hands-off manager, who gives you work
flexibility, and doesn't meet with you that often. Now, imagine a situation where he suddenly stops by
your office and asks for your honest feedback. What would you do in that situation? I don't know
about you, but I would be baffled, if my manager doesn't have the habit of asking my feedback
regularly. Instead of giving him my feedback, I might think that I am in some kind of a trouble. Won't
you? Your employees will have the same mindset. Thus, it is very important for us, as a manager, to
set aside some time for regularly scheduled feedback sessions. These sessions will not only help you
get your employee's honest feedback, but it will also show your employees that you value their
1
Author:
Bhavin
Gandhi
|
Contact
information:
http://BhavinGandhi.com
feedback and care for their opinions.
These are some of few ideas through which you can make it easier for your peers to provide their
honest feedback to you. Wait for my next blog, where I will provide you with some more insight on
effective feedback taking. In the meanwhile, if you have any other ideas through which we can
improve the process of feedback taking, then please share it through your comments here. Thanks Bhavin Gandhi
Bhavin Gandhi | March 16, 2015 at 7:30 AM | Tags: 21st century, 360 degree feedback, Become the
best manager, Employee feedback, Honest feedback, Leaders of Tomorrow, Manager's Guide,Take
an effective feedback | Categories: 21st Century, Leadership, Management |
URL:http://wp.me/p103Cm-dE
2
Author:
Bhavin
Gandhi
|
Contact
information:
http://BhavinGandhi.com
without putting them on the spot?
by Bhavin Gandhi
Managers who encourage their employees to give honest feedback
mostly find themselves improving the accuracy and productivity of
their quality of work. I know I have. Feedbacks often increase
employee satisfaction with their job by providing them with a voice and
valuing their opinions.
In my last blog, I have identified many hurdles due to which people
refrain from giving their honest feedback to you. And hence, in this
blog, I will provide you with few tips and tricks through which you can
get honest feedback from your peers, and eliminate any hurdles that
you might encounter.
Ask for it: Tell people you want their feedback. When people feel that their opinions and
observations may be used against them or that your feelings may be easily hurt, they withhold their
feedback. Thus, let them know that you consider their personal opinions, questions, and
disagreements, not only useful but also necessary. If you are hesitant to ask for their direct feedback,
try to use 360-degree feedback with the help of your HR Department. In that process, your peers,
superiors, subordinates, customers, suppliers, and sales staff provide their feedbacks anonymously
to you. So, you are more likely to get their honest feedback.
Be specific: When you ask for someone's feedback, they are mostly confused, as they don't know
where to start. That doesn’t mean that they don't want to provide their feedback, its just that they
don't know what you are looking for. Thus, before asking for the feedback, its your job to identify the
areas in which you want the feedback. If you want personal feedback, you might say, “I am trying to
improve my presentation's delivery and am interested in knowing how confident I appeared in
today’s meeting.” Similarly, if you want only feedback pertaining to the organization of your ideas,
then specify that topic.
Make it regular: Let’s assume that you are working for a hands-off manager, who gives you work
flexibility, and doesn't meet with you that often. Now, imagine a situation where he suddenly stops by
your office and asks for your honest feedback. What would you do in that situation? I don't know
about you, but I would be baffled, if my manager doesn't have the habit of asking my feedback
regularly. Instead of giving him my feedback, I might think that I am in some kind of a trouble. Won't
you? Your employees will have the same mindset. Thus, it is very important for us, as a manager, to
set aside some time for regularly scheduled feedback sessions. These sessions will not only help you
get your employee's honest feedback, but it will also show your employees that you value their
1
Author:
Bhavin
Gandhi
|
Contact
information:
http://BhavinGandhi.com
feedback and care for their opinions.
These are some of few ideas through which you can make it easier for your peers to provide their
honest feedback to you. Wait for my next blog, where I will provide you with some more insight on
effective feedback taking. In the meanwhile, if you have any other ideas through which we can
improve the process of feedback taking, then please share it through your comments here. Thanks Bhavin Gandhi
Bhavin Gandhi | March 16, 2015 at 7:30 AM | Tags: 21st century, 360 degree feedback, Become the
best manager, Employee feedback, Honest feedback, Leaders of Tomorrow, Manager's Guide,Take
an effective feedback | Categories: 21st Century, Leadership, Management |
URL:http://wp.me/p103Cm-dE
2
Author:
Bhavin
Gandhi
|
Contact
information:
http://BhavinGandhi.com
