How to use feedback constructively

 

How to use feedback constructively

How often does your boss give team members feedback on their performance, only to find out later that nothing has changed? Does he take it for granted that he has given the indications clearly and directly? However, does it sometimes seem that the message is simply not received well or at all?

The Feedback Matrix is a tool that encourages you to examine both the positive and negative aspects of feedback. It challenges you to connect the feedback with what you already know about yourself and with what you did not know and should explore more fully.

 

Responses to feedback

Have you ever observed how people around you respond or react to the feedback they receive? Usually, these responses are:

- They accept the negative part of the feedback but try to excuse themselves or blame others for the problem.

- They focus on the positive part and use it to reinforce what they already knew to be true. This reaction can sometimes be because they show resistance to change.

- If the feedback is negative, they decide that the person giving the feedback is wrong and discard the comments completely. These people can be prone to arrogance.

- If the feedback is completely positive, they assume that the person giving the feedback is polite, and cannot accept that the praise is real and deserved. This can indicate a lack of self-confidence.

In each case, these types of responses indicate that the feedback is unlikely to achieve the desired result. Instead of trying to understand how their behaviour or performance should change, or what they can do to make even more of their strengths, people continue to do what they were doing before, without making any major adjustments or corrections.

 

Using the Feedback Matrix

The Feedback Matrix is a tool to overcome your emotional responses to feedback. So you can apply the feedback and make positive changes in your performance or behaviour.

It has four quadrants that feedback usually falls into: Positive / Expected, Negative / Expected, Positive / Unexpected, and Negative / Unexpected. Most opinions fall into one of these categories as shown below: 

	POSITIVE	NEGATIVE
EXPECTED	CELEBRATE IT	ACT ON IT
UNEXPECTED	HABITUATE IT	EXPLORE IT

 

·         Positive / Expected

We often have a good idea of what we do well because we tend to get positive feedback on these things regularly. But instead of just listening to this kind of praise and doing nothing with it, ask yourself: How can I celebrate this aspect of myself? How can I use this skill to increase my productivity or job satisfaction? How can I use this skill to help others who are not as strong in this area?

 

·         Negative / expected

If we are honest with ourselves, we are often aware of some of the areas in our work that need improvement. If our boss asks for a meeting, we will most likely know and expect what will be discussed. In fact, we are often more critical of ourselves than others, but we simply don't know how to improve without some help. To apply this expected feedback and make a positive change, ask yourself: What actions have I taken to address this concern? How successful were those actions? What else do I need to examine and/or change to achieve the results I want? If I don't make these changes, how will this affect my work or my life?

 

·         Positive / Unexpected

Receiving positive feedback that we didn't expect is like a surprise birthday gift. It gives us a wonderful feeling when we learn something positive about ourselves that was completely unexpected. But after the initial joy, it is important to examine this feedback more by asking yourself: Why was I surprised to hear this? What previous experiences would have made me forget or reject this strength or skill? How will I celebrate this newly discovered skill? How can I use this skill to improve my life?

 

·         Negative / unexpected

This feedback is the most difficult to hear and understand. But it can also be the source of much self-discovery if we are open to it. Unexpected feedback often comes from areas we don't want to recognise or are not prepared to deal with, and can make us defensive. However, when we learn to deal with it, we can take great strides forward on our path to self-improvement.

 

When you give or receive feedback,

use it to improve your experience and your results.