Executive Summary

Feedback is a crucial part of any personal and professional journey. It helps you identify areas for growth as well as what others appreciate about your activities, approaches and how you can build on your strengths. Feedback reduces uncertainty and anxiety about how well you are performing and provides clarity on how to be more productive, effective and successful. But soliciting feedback is not always easy. And, not every piece of feedback needs to be acted on, particularly if it is rooted in bias. This toolkit offers guidance on how to solicit and give the type of feedback that can provide a powerful form of support in advancing personal and professional growth.

Soliciting and Receiving Feedback

Tips on soliciting and receiving feedback include the following:

• Adopt a growth mindset and view traits such as intelligence, creativity and effectiveness not as fixed but as qualities that can be developed.

• Reflect on your performance before seeking feedback and help those you ask to be more targeted by noting specific areas in which you want feedback.

• Identify your feedback preferences, whether in the moment, unfiltered or after you have had a chance to reflect on your performance independently.

• Create frequent, informal feedback loops by making them part of every check-in meeting with managers or seeking feedback after completion of a project.

• Seek feedback from a trusted peer and/or a diverse group of individuals to obtain a holistic perspective. 

• Ask for specifics and actionable tips that will help you develop strategies and tactics and to root out vague and potentially gender-based bias.

• Embrace self-compassion (treating yourself with kindness) so you can learn from feedback and address weaknesses without falling prey to self-doubt.

• Evaluate feedback independently or within a coaching relationship to understand whether you agree with every piece of it and to determine how much weight to give each item.

• Always follow up after receiving feedback, especially constructive feedback, by thanking the person and including at least one step you intend to take as a result. 

• Make a plan that can turn feedback into growth, investigate what you can change as a result and communicate that to those that have given the feedback.

Giving Feedback

The way you give feedback can influence whether that feedback is helpful and actionable, and therefore likely to be used. Tips on giving feedback include the following:

• Find out how the person prefers to receive feedback, which also lets them know you have their best interests at heart.

• Create a system for giving feedback, which alleviates the pressure and reduces bias by ensuring you are giving feedback to everyone.

• Be as specific as possible, which makes it easier for individuals to address actions and behaviors while not taking the feedback too personally.

• Share a combination of positive and constructive feedback and ensure you are giving a balanced and honest evaluation. 

• Focus on behaviors that are observable and actionable, rather than attributes or value judgments based on your impression and lacking obvious solutions.

Soliciting, receiving and acting on feedback can be challenging. But equipped with the right approaches, tactics and mindset, it can be a powerful tool supporting your progress towards leadership and professional excellence.