Feedback Can Improve You. Here Is How to Ask For It

The present ideology of learning and development has moved from being a one-off (attending periodic training) to a continuous process. From both a personal and an organisational perspective, to keep up with a fast-changing world, organisations and individuals alike need to develop a continuous learning mindset for consistent development. This learning and development approach seeks to learn from every possible means, unlike previous approaches where learning only happens after a formal training/learning event.

One of the ways to continually learn and improve is by asking for feedback. However, asking for feedback has to be done properly for it to be effective. The quality of the feedback you get is as good as the way you asked for it.

Feedback can improve you, and here is how to ask for it

Plan the what, who and how

Almost everything needs planning. Maybe not an elaborate strategic plan, but at least a minute or two to think about what needs to be done and how. Asking for feedback isn’t an exception either. To effectively ask for feedback, start by planning the what, who and how.

What

This part of your plan will answer the fundamental question “what do I need feedback for?” You might have just taken your first shot at public speaking and need to know how well or not so well you did. Maybe you created your first presentation slides or just achieved a major milestone in your first project as a certified project manager and need feedback on your performance so far.

It is also ok to need general feedback.

These different what’s will become the benchmark for defining the next steps on how to get the best feedback.

Who

Now that you are clear on what you need feedback on, you now need to identify who is appropriate to provide this feedback. The who is a very important part of effectively asking for feedback. Asking for feedback from the wrong person leaves you with a slim chance of getting the right feedback.

Your supervisor who closely supervised a task you just completed is most likely to provide you with accurate feedback on your performance than a colleague who was working on another project at the time.

How

Via Email? Over a coffee break? Via a virtual meeting or a hangout?

The most appropriate means will depend on a few factors like relationship, scenario, options, flexibility, etc.

If you will be needing feedback from a senior colleague, you may want to ask them for the best way they prefer to give you feedback. Of course, asking for feedback during a break from your bestie at the office works just fine.

Prepare your question

Now that you are clear on what you need feedback on, who you need the feedback from and how you will get the feedback, you need to put together and ask the right questions to make the best out of such an opportunity for development.

Tip: Ask open-ended questions

Here are a few ways to ask your questions

Instead of “Did I do well during my presentation?

Ask “What do you think about my presentation?

Instead of “Was my public speaking good?

Ask “What do you think I could have done better during my speech?”

Open-ended questions will allow for more constructive criticism.

Take Note

This is a no-brainer, but worth the emphasis. Beyond showing the feedback provider you are serious about getting the feedback for your improvement, taking notes gives you a point of reference.

Use feedback

Feedback taken but not used is as good as not taken.

Incorporating feedback into your work for improvement isn’t as easy as it sounds. You most likely will get negative feedback along the way. Such feedback is truly what brings improvement. However, you may become biased, thinking you deserve better and skip taking such feedback on board.

Try as much as you can to strip your emotions away when looking at feedback giving. Take a more objective approach to see how they can actually improve your performance.

We hope this helped you