Receiving and Seeking Feedback

ΕΙΣΑΓΩΓΙΚΕΣ ΕΡΩΤΗΣΕΙΣ

Α. Τι περιμένεις να κερδίσεις από το παρακάτω άρθρο;

Β. Πως αντιμετωπίζεις την ανατροφοδότηση; Αντιμετωπίζεις δυσκολίες στο να δεχτείς ή να επιζητήσεις την ανατροφοδότηση;

 

ΑΡΘΡΟ

 Το παρακάτω άρθρο θα σε βοηθήσει να μάθεις:

  • Πως να αντιδράς όταν λαμβάνεις ανατροφοδότηση
  • Τι σημαίνει να είσαι καλός ακροατής
  • Πως να επιζητάς την ανατροφοδότηση
Receiving feedback

When we receive feedback we usually go through three stages – we react, we reflect and we respond. For feedback to be useful it is important that we ‘analyse’ the feedback before responding. The following tips provide guidance on how to approach each of these stages:

ReactDuring this stage we:

  • Need to be aware of and manage our emotional reaction to what we are hearing. Think about how what we say and do now will seem to us (and others) later on.
  • Should concentrate on listening to the feedback and ask questions to ensure that we understand the other person’s views and expectations.
  • Must remember not to skip the next stage! Depending on what the feedback is, we might need to end the discussion at this point to give ourselves time to think properly about what we have heard.
ReflectDuring this stage we:

  • Should be honest with ourselves about our own performance and be open minded about what the other person has said.
  • Should allow ourselves extra time for our emotions to calm down if necessary.
  • Ask for specific examples to help us to understand the feedback e.g.
    • »  “What would you have preferred me to do”?
    • »  “How could I do it differently next time”?
RespondDuring this stage we:

  • Accept the feedback by thanking the person giving it.
  • If we don’t agree, we respectfully say so and support what we’re saying with facts or our alternative views.
  • Should focus on the future and improvement – suggest options or solutions. We respectfully negotiate and agree to ‘next steps’ (to address issues raised in the feedback).
  • Need to ensure we understand the next steps and we are committed and able to implement what have agreed to do.

 

If you are a Supervisor or Manager

As a supervisor or manager, it is really important that we accept feedback from staff in a positive way. Responding negatively is likely to damage the working relationship and discourage the employee from providing you with feedback in the future.

Here’s how…….
Take responsibility for the feedback

  • even if you don’t agree with the feedback take responsibility for the other person’s perception
  • “I understand that this has made you angry, thank you for taking the time to tell me.”
Take time to listen to feedback

• if it isn’t an appropriate time apologise and schedule a time to discuss the feedback as soon    as you can, ie, “I’d really like to talk with you properly about this so can we meet tomorrow at….”

REACT, REFLECT AND RESPOND (as outlined above)

  • some questions which may help you reflect are:
    • »  What would you have preferred?
    • »  What would you like me to have done differently?
    • »  Can you give me an example of how I could have handled that better?
  • don’t respond straight away if you are upset or angry

» “I’d like to take this afternoon to think this through, let’s meet again tomorrow at…..”

Talk about solutions/options

  • ask what they would like you to do next time/in future
  • suggest solutions
  • agree actions
Take action

  • do what you said you would do
  • if you are unable to take action straight away explain the reasons
Thank the person

  • tell them why feedback is important to you
  • if appropriate, acknowledge that it may have been difficult for them to give you this feedback
Follow-up
• seek feedback on the impact of the changes you have made

 

 How to really listen when giving or receiving feedback

Listening skills have a big impact on feedback discussions. Active listening helps us to:

  • understand what the other person is saying and their point of view
  • get to know the other person
  • know when the other person has understood what we are saying.

Level 1: Internal listening

At this level:

  • we may be hearing the words the other person is saying but the focus is on listening to our own thoughts
  • we may be:
    • »  thinking about what we are going to say next
    • »  focused on what we think or feel about what the other person is saying
    • »  thinking about something else.

Level 2: Attentive listening

At this level:

  • we are totally focused on what the person is saying
  • we aren’t distracted and we are able to give them our full attention
  • we use active listening techniques such as paraphrasing or asking questions to confirm understanding.

This level allows us to listen for facts, meaning and intention. This level leads to a common understanding about what is being said and what the other person wants to achieve.

Level 3: Observational listening

This is a much deeper level of listening. At this level we are totally focused on what the person is saying and:

  • we are attuned to body language, facial expressions and tone of voice
  • we are more likely to identify the other person’s feelings
  • we are aware of the impact of our communication on the other person.

 

At this level we are able to help the other person understand their own feelings and views by reflecting what they are saying back to them. This is called a reflective listening technique. For example we may say things like:

  • ‘I can see you are worried about this because you have said ……….’
  • ‘so what I am hearing is that you really like working in the team because you’ve mentioned …… several times’.

 

When seeking out feedback:

Sometimes, people may not be forthcoming with feedback so you’ll need to seek it out. When seeking feedback:

    • Select someone you trust and the right person for the topic. e.g. If you would like feedback on your managerial skills it would be a good idea to get feedback from someone you manage.
    • Give the other person time to prepare for their discussion with you. Don’t expect an immediate answer.
    • Be open to the feedback, ask for specific examples and respond after you have reflected on the issues raised. Be prepared for both positive and constructive responses. Respond graciously. Responding defensively to comments will only make the other person uncomfortable giving you feedback.
    • Where appropriate, follow through on the advice and suggestions given to you.
    • Thank the person for their feedback.

Whether giving or receiving feedback, it is essential that you remain solutions-focused.

Gather your evidence and ensure you follow through on anything you agree to.

Remember, feedback is vital to your organisation’s success. Use your agency’s Performance Management system to set clear goals and expectations for your team members at the start of the year and ensure they are clear about their responsibilities. Constantly review performance and provide ongoing feedback throughout the year. That way, small issues can be dealt with early and easily and performance can be productive for the individual and the agency.

 

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

  • Τι είναι το σημαντικότερο που μάθατε / διδαχτήκατε από αυτό που διαβάσετε;

 

 

 

References:

https://www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/463728/art_feedback.pdf

https://ocpe.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/247900/A_Guide_to_Giving_and_Receiving_Performance_Feedback.pdf