What Is a Feedback Talk?
Feedback is a neutral way of giving someone constructive response. Feedback tells someone how he or she has affected another person in a particular situation. Feedback refrains from any judgment.
Feedback is not about being personally attacking or judging someone. In this case, it is less about feedback and more about a personal view or evaluation. It’s about a constructive conversation between the employer and the employee.
What Is the Purpose of Feedback Talk?
Feedback discussions are an effective approach in human resource management and development. Often, feedback conversations are challenging for both sides. That’s why it’s important to choose the right form of communication.
What Are the Benefits of Giving Feedback?
Feedback conversations serve as an opportunity for exchange. They are based on factual, two-way feedback. Feedback can control the behavior of the receiver or recipient. The right choice of words and manner is thus very important for goal-oriented work. Feedback encourages, raises motivation and promotes personal learning processes. Feedback conversations also pursue the following line:
- to review and assess performance.
- name and evaluate achievements.
- discuss own aspirations.
- set individual goals and discuss development opportunities.
- Resolve misunderstandings or conflicts.
- change undesirable behavior.
- analyze the atmosphere in the workplace.
- improve or encourage future decisions.
- discuss suggestions.
- or create higher levels of identification with the job and work environment.
How Do You Give Good Feedback?
1. Perception
First of all, the experience should be described taking into account only one’s own perception. The description of the personal perception must be expressed as neutrally as possible. The information should be correct and comprehensible.
2. Effect
In the second step, the feedback can become more subjective. Here it is described what was subjectively perceived as problematic. One’s own personality is included in the criticism.
3. Improvement for the Future
At the end of a feedback conversation always comes a suggestion with a look into the future. How could things and processes be made even better? Is there possibly a need for change?
Receive Feedback
Just as important as finding the right words during the feedback conversation is the appropriate listening behavior.
- Accept the observations of the other person.
- If something is unclear, ask follow-up questions.
- Summarize important findings and repeat the main points in your own words. That can avoid all sorts of misunderstandings.