Get Rolling on Feedback

There is always a desire to continually improve. A key component to this is the ability to collect and share feedback as it pertains to the area that you are looking to improve upon. From our first memories we are getting feedback on how we are performing. From our parents, coaches and teachers we have a history of getting some level of review from those around us on daily activities. So it should be second nature to solicit, receive and take action on professional feedback, right?

Well in some cases, despite our best intentions, we have not built in a strategy to account for particular levels of feedback for defined improvement initiatives.

So, how do we proceed?

First, target an area for improvement. The key word here is target; keep the scope simple to ensure you are able to make incremental improvements. Feedback works best when it relates to a specific goal. Outlining what we want to improve in the first place will better set us up for asking for the right information on feedback forms such as surveys.

Next, we need to plan how we will review and respond to,  feedback provided. People will be far more receptive to giving us information if they know that it is actually making a lasting difference in ways that matters to them. Plan to review and where appropriate respond on a schedule. This provides consistency for those receiving a response, but remember that keeping this simple will allow for you and your team to be able to consistently provide responses. It can be very easy to let this get out of control. Determining a timeline for the process of collection and review will depend on the improvement strategy which you are setting. For example some improvement initiative may revolve around workplace satisfaction which may be conducted annually as compared with a survey on speed of service for a particular customer interaction which may be more frequent

Once we have the feedback, translating it into something we can work with this the next step. In some cases the feedback on a personal interaction may need to be presented in a way which will reinforce the goal we are trying to accomplish in a ‘positive’ way, this is not say we should sugar-coat the feedback. However people may dwell more on a comment with a negative connotation rather than the issue it was meant to describe.

In the end collecting and responding to feedback will allow for your organization to improve not only the service which it provides but improving communication between you and your business as well.

Feel free to connect with me on Twitter @ryanrogilvie and/or on LinkedIn

 

 

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