The toughest thing when it comes to working in any job that you've fought hard to get is whether you should rock the boat or not. When you look at how hard you worked to bypass the application process or the time you spent going up the ladder, the toughest thing to consider is when you are in this working environment if you should provide feedback on this environment. It's not an easy thing to get right because in one respect you are giving feedback to the organization you should be grateful toward in the first place, but on the other hand, you've got to make sure that you are helping it to be the best it can possibly be. This is why giving constructive criticism is crucial, but what are the best ways to do this?
Do It From the Perspective of the Business
This is an incredibly important component when it comes to delivering any form of feedback. We've got to make sure that we don't make it personal. One of the toughest parts of giving feedback is feeling like you are in the spotlight and that it's about your personal opinions. Instead, you need to make sure it's about your professional opinions. For example, you may find that in a working environment on the front line, such as customer service, you've got to figure out what it can take to make things easier, not just for those that are dealing with customers, but how it can impact the bottom line.
There are tools that customer service teams can use, from the best live online chat software to productivity tools that provide a greater understanding of the big picture. It is the latter that is pivotal to how you deliver your feedback. When you do it from the perspective of the business rather than from your personal perspective, you're able to showcase to the powers that be that you are thinking in terms of the bigger picture.
Being Sincere
The toughest thing many organizations struggle to achieve is a sense of transparency. Customer service industries find they are not able to be truthful and sincere, even though it is something that should form part of the fundamentals. Sincerity is something that we should aim for when giving feedback because we can still be honest and express how we feel, but not make it personal.
We should never avoid our personal feelings about the situation because this might be what it takes to turn the tide. Many people think that they benefit from watering down their feelings. Saying things like “it's not a big deal” or using terms like “perhaps” or “maybe you should” is not useful.
If you are sincere in your feedback, you are going to cut through a lot of the noise, especially if it is having an impact on you personally. While being personal can fall on deaf ears, especially if it's something that's unique to you, you've got to express your true feelings because if you don't, the person you're giving feedback to may fail to act in the right way or make enough changes.
Think About Your Relationship With the Person You’re Feeding Back To
Many organizations ask for feedback through feedback forms, but if you are approaching someone offering feedback, you've got to make sure that the person you are hoping to give feedback to is someone you can trust. The relationship between you and your boss should operate from a place of trust, and before you give feedback you will need to decide if your boss is actually open to what you are going to say because if you have a rocky relationship, you may be better off saying nothing. But this means you've got to decide whether the relationship is going to be worth your while in the long run.
Many people decide that they've worked so hard to get into this organization, they're better off keeping schtum because this may compromise their chances for a better career within the framework in the future. Hopefully, you are in an organization where your boss is an open-minded individual. In which case, you can give them the straight talk.
Get to the Point
When you are giving feedback, the best thing you can do is to prepare what you are going to say and how you are going to say it. We can easily put our emotions into our feedback but we've got to remember that while it is having a personal impact on us, we've got to make sure that the team is in agreement as well. Rather than circling around the issue, you've got to get to the point right away. This also has a very positive repercussion on yourself because when you are getting to the point, you are going to appear more confident in your feedback.
Rather than opting for a lot of small talk, you must place focus on the issue at hand, especially if there are others that agree with you. You could very well feel that you speak for the rest of the team, but you have got to be confident that everybody else feels like this, otherwise you are in it on your own, which could mean that your concerns fall on deaf ears in the grand scheme of things.
Knowing When You Can Share Feedback
There are times when we should not offer feedback, for example, during a team meeting, outside of the working environment, or with a client. There are good opportunities to share feedback. These could be prior to or after a meeting, as long as it's not related to the agenda in the meeting. You should also push for one-to-one time with your team leader or boss on a regular basis. However, it's the performance review that is the best place to do it. You've got to make sure you handle the situation effectively here.
When you give feedback in a performance review, it could appear like you are being on the defensive. When you offer feedback, you've got to make sure that you are invited to do so as part of the performance review process.
Offering Positive Feedback
Rather than attacking the company, it's important that the way you deliver feedback is pivotal. If you are offering attack after attack, this is not professional and it's not constructive. Positive feedback could be part of what they call a “compliment sandwich,” which is good news-bad news-good news, however, you have got to remember that the people in charge are more than aware of these tools. This is why sincerity is critical. But you've also got to recognize that your feedback needs to be constructive. You've got to build towards a worthwhile result for everyone. You shouldn't avoid negative feedback, but you've got to focus on solutions.
Focusing on complaints is not going to benefit anyone, not least yourself. Because if you give negative feedback without offering any solutions, you are running the risk of being that person who gets passed over for promotion or is not considered to be a team player. There are always cowboys in companies who think they can get away with giving feedback that completely trashes the company. From the perspective of the company, you are the person that they've taken a punt on. Therefore, you've got to recognize that you are in a very precarious position. They've chosen you because you appear to do the duties of the role to the best of your ability, but they also believe you are a good fit for the company. When you are not a good fit for the company or they have made a big mistake, especially within the first 6 months of hiring you, it's very easy for them to turn it around and let you go. You have to make sure that you get your feet under the table and navigate that trial period effectively.
Does Your Employer Ever Welcome Feedback?
Finally, if you are someone who offers feedback within a work environment but it's not welcome, you may want to think twice as to whether the feedback is going to work in your favor or not. When an organization does not want feedback or they have never asked for solutions to progress better, you can either argue that this is a company that's content in its processes or they are operating with a sense of self-preservation. Giving feedback may prove to be a very difficult thing when you encounter these types of companies, but this is why constructive feedback and working toward a solution is the best way.
If you are viewed as a lesser entity within your company framework, you've got to consider if the environment is going to work for you. Feedback is something that is not about the negative, but about using things that may not be working right now to bring about a far more positive solution. It's about making sure that you do your job, while also understanding that the business needs to benefit in the long run.