Rhizome Consulting Ltd’s Post

Did you know that while most employees crave feedback, only 30% receive it regularly? That is a lot of MISSED opportunity to improve ourselves, our teams, and organizations. Feedback is a powerful tool, yet clearly underutilized in many organizations. Delivering feedback in a way that is actionable, specific, and easy-to-implement is a game-changer. When feedback is precise and constructive, it empowers employees to grow and improve. 🌱 I had a recent reminder of what effective constructive feedback looks like. Last month, I delivered a talk on difficult conversations and accountability at an industry conference. The feedback from attendees was illuminating. 💡 Out of 35 comments, 33 were positive and 2 were constructive. Here's the difference: Useful feedback: "The session was employee-focused, and I was hoping for more client-focused approaches." This is great feedback! It provides a clear, actionable direction that I can use to tailor my talk to my audience's needs the next time. Ineffective feedback: "The speaker was too polished." This is subjective and vague. While it's an opinion, it doesn't offer a clear path for improvement, especially when most positive comments praised my professionalism. Every day, I strive to embrace a continuous improvement mindset. Constructive feedback, when specific and actionable, helps me be a better coach, speaker, and trainer. Let's foster a culture of effective feedback! Share your tips for giving actionable feedback or an experience where feedback helped you grow. How do you ensure your feedback is impactful? #leadership #feedback #workplaceculture #speaker #employeeengagement #CEO #Founder

"Feedback is a gift, but how we receive it can make all the difference." Receiving feedback, especially constructive criticism, can be tricky. It's easy to get defensive or feel discouraged. But what if we could shift our perspective? Instead of seeing feedback as judgment, we can view it as valuable insights from someone who wants us to succeed. Our managers often have a unique vantage point and can offer observations we might miss. Here's a simple framework for approaching manager feedback: 1. Listen actively and empathetically. Try to understand their perspective and the intent behind their feedback. 2. Ask clarifying questions. "Can you give me an example?" or "What specific steps can I take to improve?" 3. Acknowledge and appreciate their feedback. Even if it's difficult to hear, express gratitude for their time and input. 4. Create an action plan. Discuss how you can address the feedback and set realistic goals for improvement. 5. Follow up. Check in with your manager periodically to discuss your progress and any challenges you're facing. Remember: - Not all feedback is created equal. Focus on constructive criticism that offers specific, actionable advice. - Be open to self-reflection. Honest self-assessment is key to growth and development. - Advocate for your needs. If you feel overwhelmed or need additional support, don't hesitate to communicate your needs to your manager. By embracing feedback as a learning opportunity and actively seeking ways to improve, we can unlock our full potential and build stronger, more productive relationships with our managers. #feedback #managers #growthmindset #professionaldevelopment #leadership Disclaimer: This is just a template, feel free to adjust it to fit your specific experiences and voice.

Most leaders suck at providing feedback. It's a horror show. At best it's a cringeworthy mix of platitudes and mixed messages, at worst it's just plain old criticism. Ultimately, most people simply avoid it. Problem solved...... In my experience, there are 2 broad categories of sucky feedback. 👍🏼The positive, generally pleasant and unhelpful, "keep up the good work". 🙁The negative and completely amorphic, "add more value". Usually rushed. Devoid of examples. Cluttered with generalisations. Tick that box with a flourish......another 12 month review done and dusted. And I think there are several reasons for this; a) Most people have never received useful feedback, so they don't know what good looks like. b) It's a skill that generally isn't taught, and therefore never practised. c) People don't know where to start. They fumble around with pleasantries for most of the allocated time, and rush through the actual feedback. d) It's seen as a yearly single sided transaction which makes it awkward and ineffective. e) They aren't getting feedback either, so they are also working in a void. And it's a huge missed opportunity to provide leadership for your team and the organisation. So what should we do instead........ Start with why. Why are you providing feedback? If it's a purely administrative task, then lets not pretend. It's a tick box exercise. Make those metrics green. You can stop reading here. But if you truly want to support the continuous growth and development of your team, and enhance the overall performance of the organisation? Now that's a conversation worth having. Share your best tips in the comments; I'll go first. I start with me. Have I provided everything they need to be successful. Have I communicated clearly on what good looks like, and how they can best contribute to achieving it. Feedback starts with you. It's a feedback loop. Interesting right? Want to know more? Reach out for a chat. #leadershipdevelopment #executivecoaching #feedbackmatters

As holiday schedules approach, are you making time to give feedback? Getting good at giving effective feedback is one of the most important parts of leading a team. Most managers shove feedback into a once or twice a year appraisal. Increasing chances you’ll rely on subjectivity or recency rather than objective data. It robs your employees (and you) of numerous opportunities to build rapport and improve performance. Having those conversations, sometimes difficult, is crucial to professional development and to an organization’s success. Here are my tips for doing it well. 👉 Provide feedback as a coach. You're not just a task manager, you're also a coach and accountable for your team's professional development. 👉 Establish rapport. Look at life from their perspective. Ask them if they are ready to engage in meaningful discussion. 👉 Create a system for consistent feedback. I see clients use a lot is 15Five (or, alternatively, Lattice). 👉 Presume motives are virtuous. Don't assume that someone wants to do a terrible job. Nearly everyone wants to do well. 👉 Provide a face saving device. Help move someone in the direction of their goals without making them feel embarrassed or like an idiot. 👉 Give positive and negative feedback. A sign of a good relationship is giving all types of feedback. Ensure you can give both to your team. 👉 Remember the platinum rule - treat others as they would want to be treated. When you’re giving someone feedback, you’re investing in a human relationship with them. Any tips you might want to share? If giving feedback is on your list of things to improve, DM me to help you grow your feedback skills and build a better team. #feedback #performance #professionaldevelopment #management #leadership #coaching

You think feedback is just a chance to flex on folks? Think again! Let me school you real quick. The purpose of feedback is not to show superiority by pointing out someone’s flaws. Instead, it aims to help the person improve and make something better. To achieve this, the focus should be on enhancing the individual’s performance. Start by asking the person for their opinion on the matter at hand. This approach often leads them to identify the problem themselves. When individuals recognize what needs fixing, they are more likely to commit to making improvements. This acknowledgment fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility. When people identify their own issues, they gain confidence. What might have been a blind spot initially becomes clear upon reflection, making them feel knowledgeable and capable of addressing the problem. By prompting them with questions, you guide them to solve the problem independently. This method leads to improvement without imposing your own ego or focusing on what they did wrong. The steps: - Let them own the issue - Create Buy-In - Build Confidence - Promote Self-Solution The ultimate goal is improvement. When individuals identify and acknowledge their issues, they are more motivated to plan and implement solutions. This process not only leads to better outcomes but also enhances their confidence and sense of ownership. Eliminating the need for your ego in the feedback process ensures a more positive and productive experience for everyone involved. So next time you’re about to drop some feedback, remember: it’s about lifting others up, not showing off. Now go out there and make things better! 💪🏾 #Leadership #Feedback #Improvement

Want to make tangible progress? Seek as much honest feedback as you can! Feedback is critical to our growth...yet most people probably don't know how to tap its potential fully. I've worked with clients to help them get the most out of the feedback they receive from team members, colleagues, consultants, customers, and so on. Through coaching, they learned to shift their mindset about feedback, to interpret the unspoken meaning, and to realize that even criticism, when taken with a good attitude, can help them improve. They realized that no one intended to make them feel bad. Want to allow your team to make tangible progress? Consider implementing these strategies. ✅Make feedback sessions fun Make giving and receiving feedback part of your team's routine. Celebrate when you receive feedback. Set a positive tone for feedback by encouraging people to laugh and relax during these sessions.  ✅Make it okay to admit mistakes Create a culture where people feel safe to make mistakes. By making it okay to admit mistakes, your team directly challenges the ego to look good, making them more receptive to feedback.  ✅Apply critical thinking Challenge your team's assumptions about the intentions of others giving feedback. Ask yourself, "Is this assumption supported by evidence or not? Have I given the benefit of the doubt?" Leaders, not using feedback fully can hinder your team's progress by keeping them satisfied with the status quo. So how are you prepared to change that? Please share your commitment to helping your team use feedback well in the comments below. #criticalthinking, #teamcoaching, #organicgrowth

Feedback shouldn't be awkward. Feedback should be a second chance to success! I've had many conversations with my managers throughout the years on #feedback or #constructivecriticism In other words, their opinions when I did something (usually) wrong. There is a negative link to feedback, as we don't like to be told we do something wrong. Most of the time, we try to fight back and explain and deny and get into a verbal fight when it comes to how some things are seen by another person. Or maybe we don't say and do anything. It gets emotional and is hard to manage. Especially when people remember how you make them feel. But a time came for me to realise how hard it is for a manager to deliver it. What I realised is that is not only hard to receive criticism, but is also hard to provide it. So, over the years I improved my approach to it, as I myself became a manager. Also, there is no rule that feedback comes always from the manager. It's also important to provide it to all levels if needed, as feedback shows a view of how things are done and maybe there are better approaches and solutions to it. And it's so important to see the process done by someone who looks at it from a different angle. There could be better approaches, solutions and suggestions on how to improve. If correctly delivered, the feedback is a chance to change, a chance to grow. 🎙 Here is my view on how to prepare for a feedback meeting if you are the received or provider of a feedback: https://lnkd.in/dj4MgJa3 What is your experience with feedback?

Why is feedback tricky? Feedback can be tricky for several reasons, both for the feedback giver and receiver. Here are some of the main challenges: Emotions are involved...   ⏺ For the Receiver: Feedback can trigger defensive reactions or hurt feelings. People may take feedback personally, even when it's intended to be constructive, which can make them less receptive to it.   ⏺ For the Giver: Delivering feedback can be uncomfortable, particularly if it's negative or involves pointing out mistakes. Givers may worry about damaging relationships or causing conflict. Communication gaps can happen...   ⏺ Clarity: Feedback can be vague or unclear, leaving the receiver uncertain about what needs improvement. Without specific examples or actionable suggestions, feedback may not be effective.   ⏺ Tone and Delivery: How feedback is communicated can impact how it's received. A harsh or overly critical tone can overshadow the message, while excessively soft or vague feedback may not convey the seriousness of an issue. Bias and Perception   ⏺ Feedback is often influenced by the giver's biases or subjective views. This can lead to unfair or inaccurate feedback based on personal preferences rather than objective criteria.   ⏺ The receiver's perception of the giver's intentions can also affect how feedback is received. The feedback may be dismissed or viewed as insincere if there's a lack of trust. Fear of Consequences  ⏺ For the Receiver: There may be fear of negative consequences, such as repercussions for admitting mistakes or concerns about job security if the feedback is seen as a sign of underperformance.  ⏺ For the Giver: There may be a reluctance to give honest feedback if it could lead to tension, conflict, or damage to professional relationships. Feedback is tricky to navigate, but it doesn't need to be. You can work on that if you can be negatively triggered by feedback. It isn't a personal attack. There should be no bias or perception involved. If feedback is clearly communicated by a great leader who genuinely cares about your professional growth without fear, it can be an enormous tool! #EffectiveFeedback #Leadership #Coach #ConstructiveCriticism #ProfessionalDevelopment

Get more and/or better feedback with these 3 easy steps: 1. Ask A super basic first step, but I find people can be hesitant to reach out because the don't want to impose on their boss. Ask, otherwise it often takes a big event or an review cycle process to get it. 2. Be specific "Can I get feedback on how I am doing?" is the worst way to ask for feedback. You will either get no feedback or generalized feedback that is both a waste of time and unhelpful for you and your manager. Be specific! "Can you give me feedback on where I can improve my communication with clients?", for example, gives the feedback provider direction. They will really listen in when you speak on a call to the way something is presented or take a deeper analysis of past client communications to give actionable feedback to that helps you grow. 3. Be Persistent Even when you master the first 2 steps, you still won't always get a response. Set deadlines for the feedback, follow-up regularly, and inform your manager you wish to discuss the topic during the next 1:1. Even if it takes a bit of time, know a good manager will make the time and give you feedback. They care about your development. Any other recommendations you would add? Let me know in the comments.

5 Game-Changing Feedback Tips You May Not Have Heard Before As leaders, we often underestimate the power of effective feedback. But make no mistake - it's the fuel that propels teams to excellence. After decades of research and hands-on experience, I've distilled the essence of impactful feedback into these five tips: Be Specific, Not General 🎯 Don't say: "Great job!" Do say: "Your presentation's data visualization clearly illustrated our Q3 growth." Focus on Behavior, Not Personality 🔍 Avoid: "You're unreliable." Instead: "I noticed you missed our last two deadlines." Time It Right ⏰ Feedback is perishable. Deliver it as close to the event as possible for maximum impact. Make It a Two-Way Street 🗣️ After giving feedback, ask: "What are your thoughts on this?" Encourage dialogue, not monologue. Listen, Listen, Listen While it may feel better to be on the 'giving' side of feedback, rather than the receiving, it is important to deeply listen to your team. They hold the insight and keys to how things are going. Be willing to receive it and to internalize what you are hearing. Follow Up with Action 👣 Set clear, achievable next steps. Feedback without follow-through is just talk. Remember: Feedback isn't about being nice or harsh. It's about being clear and committed to growth. What's your most effective feedback technique? Share in the comments!👇 ♻️If you found this helpful, please repost to your network. #LeadershipTips #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #ProductivityHacks