The Influence of Feedback

What is the best piece of feedback you have been given professionally?

Let me clarify my measure of good feedback. It should have motivated or changed something in your life. It can be in the way you work or your perspective, it could have made something easier or clearer. Along these veins. Good feedback for me has always been practical points delivered in a direct and honest way. Let me share an example.

When I had freshly joined the workforce, I was eager to prove myself. So, before every meeting, I would read up on the topic of discussion and try to think of questions and pros and cons. Needless to say I had a lot to talk about during the meetings. One day my co-worker pulled me aside and said this “You have great points and are very enthusiastic during meetings, but you need to let others speak their parts. You interrupted X two times in the middle of their points. Look your suggestion may have been better or worse it doesn’t matter, everyone here is an equal member of the team. Plus, they bring years of experience and diversity to the table. If you listen to them, you will learn a lot. You are new and your perspective is fresh and absolutely needed, but it’s not yet balanced with experience. Something which, you will get from doing the work, but right now learn from X, be mindful of this in the future”

This might read negatively, but honestly it was great feedback. I stopped being so anxious about having something to say and started listening and soaking in the ideas and experiences that other people were bringing to the table. Not to say I stopped completely. I still asked questions but I believe it was more tempered than before. A belief which was reiterated later by the same colleague who gave me this feedback. I didn’t know why it was great, only that it changed my approach and perspective when in a professional discussion.

Looking back now, I can dissect this clinically and tell you its good points:-

1. It was given during the event of the behavior which was causing disruptions. It was also given privately, so I did not feel put on the spot.
2. It was specific, my colleague pointed out that another person was interrupted by me two times, giving me a solid issue to reflect on.
3. It was given calmly, later they even joked about the trouble I was causing. So, the issue was focused solely on the behavior that needed changing.
4. The source was credible. It was given by a colleague who had been with the organization for a long time.
5. I was shown a very clear path, to listen and learn as someone new in the organization.
6. The impact of not listening was obvious, I could learn from others or by making the same mistakes.

Now although I have been given good feedback from time to time does not mean I know how to do it. I have a lot to learn and while most of this learning happens through practice, we can all seek guides. If you are interested, consider taking the course on giving and receiving feedback here on the Sages ICL platform.

https://www.sagesleadershipacademy.com/courses/giving-and-receiving-feedback/