How do you foster a culture of feedback and learning among mentors and mentees?

In Saudi Arabia's dynamic business environment, setting clear goals for mentorship is vital. Massar Business Solutions ensures that mentors and mentees align on specific skills, behaviours, and knowledge to be developed, and tailored to the market needs. Regular feedback loops and culturally appropriate matchings are integral, ensuring alignment with Vision 2030's focus on capacity building. This approach fosters a productive learning culture that drives both personal and professional growth.

Learning to give, receive and ask for feedback are invaluable skills that don’t come naturally to most of us. Training in these areas is essential for improvement communication and relationships. In a leadership program I participated in, we were given a feedback form and time over the week to practice. The other participants agreed it was one of the hardest, but most rewarding skills, they had developed.

One of the best ways to promote a culture of feedback is to act on feedback that is given to your organisation already. You don't always have to implement that feedback though. After all we all would love to pay less taxes but giving that feedback to the IRS is not going to do anything. But show your colleagues that you care. Explain why certain feedback can or cannot be implemented. You will see that more and more people will start to open up and bring up the challenges they are facing.

The number one skill in giving feedback: observing the situation with a focus on what’s going well, what’s not going well, so you can share the specifics with the feedback recipient. As the feedback recipient, it’s important to listen. Let the giver say what they need to say. As much as you want to dispute it, don’t. Say thank you and no more. Feedback is a gift, but the recipient doesn’t have to take it beyond the thank you. It’s up to the recipient to reflect on it, and to decide if the source is credible, trustworthy, valued. The recipient won’t act on the feedback if they don’t trust or respect the giver. But trying to change the giver’s feedback is not the recipient’s task. Getting defensive is not good for either one.

Recognize and reward: Recognition is key to maintaining motivation in Saudi Arabia's collaborative work culture. At Massar Business Solutions, we emphasize public recognition and culturally aligned rewards for mentors and mentees. By offering tailored incentives and growth opportunities, we ensure that both parties feel valued and motivated. This reinforces the goals of nurturing talent and leadership, encouraging a continuous cycle of feedback and development that aligns with the broader goals of national progress.

Continuous improvement is essential in the fast-evolving Saudi market. Massar Business Solutions employs robust evaluation techniques, including surveys and analytics, to assess mentorship effectiveness. We adapt our strategies based on feedback, ensuring relevance and impact. By fostering a culture of feedback, we help organizations in Saudi Arabia stay agile and aligned with Vision 2030, driving sustained success through effective mentoring practices.