Feedback Strategies

General Notes

I was happy to learn more about how to give feedback as I am a leader of Concrete Canoe and I am always looking for ways to offer feedback without upsetting the members. If I come across as rude, we will surely lose members we really need. Hopefully after reading these two articles I will be able to offer constructive criticism without seeming condescending.

Another place I have struggled to give feedback is at work. As an engineering intern, I made up my own ways to accomplish tasks and sometimes found quicker ways to a solution. However, I was always worried to offer feedback as I didn't want to upset my bosses but I did want to help improve processes. Sometimes I would just casually bring it up, sometimes I'd show my coworker while asking a question, and sometimes I would ask my coworker whether they thought my way was a good way to come to a solution so that they could make a decision on their own. It was interesting to read about good strategies for offering feedback to see what I did and did not do.

"How to Provide Great Feedback When You're Not In Charge"

Source: Farnam Street

This article gave four pieces of advice to give feedback. The first piece of advice was to show appreciation for when things are done right. To establish the necessary respect to offer the feedback you need to first learn to offer feedback even for good things. The second piece of advice was to offer constructive feedback on ideas, not on the person. By doing this, you're more likely to get the person to listen to your feedback. The final two pieces of advice are to not offer feedback too often and to take feedback yourself.

"How to Give Bad Feedback Without Being a Jerk"

Source: Next Big Idea Club

The biggest piece of advice in this article is to explain why you're offering feedback. Psychologists found that feedback recipients were 40% more likely to accept feedback when the reasoning for feedback is offered. The next piece of advice was to show that you aren't offering feedback because you think too highly of yourself, but because you genuinely want to help. Ways to accomplish this are to make sure you let the feedback recipient know that you accept feedback, ask if they are willing to receive feedback, and have a conversation instead of a lecture.

This image from Pixabay shows that feedback should be
a conversation, not a lecture.