How to Ask for Feedback at Work in 5 Steps

Feedback is the process of giving and receiving suggestions and observations about past performance or a work relationship. There are several types of feedback that business professionals might receive in the course of their work.

• Employer feedback: This type of feedback comes from a manager or business owner and is delivered to a subordinate employee. This may take place during a pre-scheduled performance review. It can also take place on an informal basis during the course of a project.
• Employee feedback: This type of feedback goes up the chain of command, where a team member shares observations and suggestions with those who outrank them on the company’s organizational ladder.
• Customer feedback: Also known as client feedback, this type of feedback comes from outside the organization and may come from people you do not know personally. Such feedback will let you gain insight into the customer experience.

Receiving honest feedback can lead to substantial professional development for both the person receiving the feedback and the person providing it. Positive feedback can serve as an affirmation and an acknowledgment of good work. Negative feedback, when properly presented, will function as constructive criticism. It will point out current shortcomings but also be framed as actionable feedback, giving the recipient avenues for improvement.

The most valuable feedback can address many components of a work environment, including:

• Management style: Front line team members can provide meaningful feedback about their supervisor’s leadership style.
• Work performance: A manager can offer praise and critiques of an employee’s performance on the job.
• Working relationships: Feedback sessions let team members check in on their workplace relationships. During these sessions, they can identify successes as well as areas for improvement.
• Work-life balance: Regular feedback sessions provide a venue to check in about how team members are balancing their obligations to the company and their duties in their personal lives.

The most effective feedback is honest, sincere, and always focused on objective truths and actionable items. Whether you’re requesting feedback for the first time or want to revamp your feedback request protocol, try using the following template for soliciting good feedback:

1. 1. Set an objective. Before you solicit feedback, pause and think about what you hope to achieve from the process. Are you looking to build team morale? Are you hoping to improve your own management style? Do you simply wish to check in as part of an annual review? Setting a goal will help you draft the right questions to prompt useful feedback.
2. 2. Recruit your interviewees. Pick the most relevant people in your organization to provide you with feedback. In addition to picking the right people, you’ll need to decide whether you want to receive your feedback face-to-face or via a written form. An in-person feedback session can be beneficial as it lets you see a person’s body language and process their tone of voice. On the other hand, some people hold back in a face-to-face session because they fear stirring a conflict. You may get more candid responses from a written survey.
3. 3. Draft specific questions. Your initial questions will set the direction for the feedback session. Make sure you get the information you need in the early going. If you want to include some open-ended questions, save them for the end of the feedback session, after you have already established the main objective.
4. 4. Ask questions and receive feedback with an open mind. Expect your feedback sessions to yield suggestions and observations that you had never personally considered. Leave yourself open to receiving new ways of viewing your work environment and your own work performance. You may also receive feedback that challenges your ego. Receive this feedback in a level-headed way, and practice empathy with the person sharing the feedback.
5. 5. Follow up and check in on a regular basis. The feedback process extends beyond a single question-and-answer session. It is now your duty to pursue any actionable feedback you received and take steps toward improvement. Circle back to the initial goals you set at the beginning of the feedback process. If you received detailed feedback—positive or negative—that relates to your initial goals, it’s in your interest to address that feedback and make changes that will benefit your professional development and your company’s organizational health.

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