Across Organizations in the High Performance Culture work we do at Capstone, we find the process of giving and receiving feedback either weak or absent. This is one powerful muscle for performance, so difficult to build in Collective societies where face- saving and mutuality of relationships are upheld, making it difficult to give/ receive feedback without being misunderstood.

With most organizations in the midst of their Annual Performance reviews, here are some insights around feedback which can be powerful game-changers for current and future performance

– Feedback is crucial. It improves performance, develops talent, aligns expectations, solves problems, and can boost the bottom line. Yet our focus has always been around the Giver of feedback rather than the Receiver…

Feedback works best when it registers well with the Receiver of Feedback- so turn the camera to the Receiver as validated by HBR research..

-What makes receiving feedback so hard? The process basically strikes at the tension between two core human needs—the need to learn and grow, and the need to be accepted just the way we are.

Here are 3 Triggers to consider

Truth triggers are set off by the content of the feedback. When assessments or advice seem off base, unhelpful, or simply untrue, the Receiver can feel wronged

Relationship triggers are tripped by the person providing the feedback. Exchanges are often colored by what the Receiver believes about the Giver..

Identity triggers are all about your relationship with yourself. Whether the feedback is right or wrong, wise or witless, it can be devastating if it causes your sense of who you are to come undone..

Here are 6 Hacks to consider for becoming great at Receiving Feedback – important especially for Givers of Feedback…

1. Reflect on your own patterns for Receiving Feedback- do you tend to defend yourself? Argue? Or strike back? Important reflections can help consider the feedback in perspective..

2. Learn to seperate the Who from the What of Feedback. Valuable insights can come from the most unlikely places and worth considering fir our own learning…

3. Unbundle the feedback to understand it better, analyse it and ask more questions to understand what the Giver was trying to say..

4. Feedback can be evaluative with a rating but ask for Coaching around it to learn what you can do to become better..

5. Proactively seek Feedback so you don’t get caught up in the emotional quagmire of annual Ratings

6. Work around Feedback- Demonstrate a Growth mindset, try and experiment with new behaviours. High Performers work on Feedback by using it to grow and improve..

Good at Receiving Feedback can make you Good at Giving Feedback… Do you Agree?