THE FEEDBACK CULTURE AND ITS VALUE

Feedback culture, collaboration, and innovation have become buzzwords many companies proudly advocate. In the next few paragraphs, I’ll share my perspective on the value of fostering a feedback culture. I will pinpoint the potential pitfalls of misunderstanding this concept and highlight how the feedback culture can unlock business value.

The Power of Fostering a Feedback Culture to Unlock Business Value

According to the books, the feedback culture creates a work environment where individuals at all levels feel empowered to share constructive, actionable insights. It allows for a two-way exchange where feedback flows openly between peers, managers, and senior leaders. This culture helps bridge communication gaps, promote professional development, and align teams with the organization’s goals. Building this environment means encouraging feedback to be both given and received respectfully.

The expected ROI of investing in feedback culture is that teams will be more efficient. Teams will trust the Company’s mission, the leaders and managers driving the process, and their colleagues. Ultimately, it sounds like the feedback culture crafts a safe environment. Talents are encouraged to express their potential and business acumen to unlock value.

In addition, when employees understand that feedback is intended to support growth rather than criticize, they are more likely to respond positively and take proactive steps to improve. This culture of learning and development is a vital aspect of a balanced feedback culture.

Potential Pitfalls of Misunderstanding Feedback Culture

Using feedback the wrong way can cause some severe problems. One big issue is when a company pushes for feedback to show they care without meaning it. It is even worse when organizations force the feedback culture without proper training and guidance. This strategy may inadvertently create a culture of fear rather than improvement. Combining these factors can ultimately make talented people trust the company and its leaders much less. Also, when feedback feels forced, it just leads to window-dressing behaviour. Ultimately, leaders don’t know what their team thinks, and the team will disengage because they will start losing trust.

The feedback toolkit

To learn and improve how to receive and give feedback, I tried, applied and customised some of the most common feedback frameworks, such as:

• The shit sandwich – Depending on the situation and the expected outcome, this can be a solid framework to rely on
• The SBI(A) model – Is the framework I use most. I like it because it is robust in structuring the feedback loop and is designed to move the conversation towards tangible results
• The STAR model – It is very akin to the SBI model

Final Thoughts

Companies need to understand the potential of a well-established feedback culture. This will help turn feedback into a catalyst for positive change and a strategic advantage.

Building a solid feedback culture takes time and effort. The most crucial investment is to have a mindset of openness to change. The biggest challenge is for everyone in the organization, especially leaders, to be willing to change themselves rather than expecting others to change.

Links to learn more

• Surrounded by idiots is a great book to understand the different nuances of the human race
• Wes Kao’a brilliant article that greatly summarises how to receive feedback