Podcast: Giving Feedback at Work

Matt Boyle: You mentioned feedback, Cate. And I know you’ve told me before that feedback, you think, is one of the most poorly utilized skills in management,

Matt Boyle: both how to give it and then how to receive it. So, what’s your approach to both giving feedback and- and receiving it?

Cate Luzio: So, I think, uh, b- for both sides of the table it’s gotta be clear and concise, and a plan for follow-up. Right?

Cate Luzio: So, if I’m an- a manager and I’m giving feedback to my employees … again, clear and s- concise, don’t beat around the bush, whether it’s good or bad.

Cate Luzio: The other thing is, there should always be strengths and opportunities for development given. You cannot tell even your most talented employee that there’s nothing for them to work on.

Cate Luzio: That then gives that problem where then eventually then they don’t work on anything and they think that- that they’re the best thing ever and so they can’t receive any new feedback. Right?

Cate Luzio: We’re always learning. We should always be lifelong learners, and so taking feedback is really important.

Cate Luzio: I think the other thing is for- for both managers and for employees: What is that follow-up? Right? If I have received feedback and it’s X, Y, Z on things I need to work on,

Cate Luzio: great, then let’s get a regular communication and cadence of communication back to that manager around, “OK, I’ve worked on this,” or “I’m working on this, have you seen a difference?”

Cate Luzio: If it’s something more, “Hey, I asked for a promotion,” “I asked for a raise”:

Cate Luzio: What are those critical milestones? What do I need to meet those? And on both sides they have to be documented.

Vocabulary:

feedback – helpful information, advice, or opinions given to someone about their work to help them improve it, “The teacher gave me positive feedback on my English essay.”

utilized – used something effectively for a practical purpose, “The company utilized new software to organize their work schedule.”

approach – a specific way of thinking about, dealing with, or handling a problem or task, “Her approach to learning new words is to write them down in a notebook.”

concise – short and clear, expressing what needs to be said without wasting words, “Please write a concise summary of the book in just three sentences.”

follow-up – an action done to check on, complete, or continue something that was started earlier, “The doctor scheduled a follow-up appointment for next month to see if I was healthy.”

beat around the bush – (idiom) to avoid talking about the main topic directly, often because it is uncomfortable or awkward, “Stop beating around the bush and just tell me if I passed the test or not.”

opportunities – chances or possibilities to do something that you want to do, or ways to improve yourself, “Moving to a big city gave her more job opportunities.”

development – the process of growing, learning, improving, or becoming more advanced over time, “The school focuses heavily on the professional development of its teachers.”

eventually – in the end, or after a long time, a lot of effort, or a series of events, “If you practice speaking English every day, you will eventually become fluent.”

lifelong learners – people who choose to continue learning new skills and gaining knowledge throughout their entire lives, even after finishing school, “Successful professionals are usually lifelong learners who constantly read new books.”

cadence – a regular rhythm, pace, or pattern of how an activity or event is repeated, “The team established a weekly cadence of meeting every Monday morning at 9 a.m.”

critical – extremely important, crucial, or absolutely necessary for success, “Saving money is critical if you want to buy a house in the future.”

milestones – important events, stages, or major goals achieved along a path, career, or project, “Learning to drive and graduating from college are two major milestones in life.”

documented – recorded, written down, or saved in an official file so it can be proven or checked later, “All of the company’s safety rules are carefully documented in this employee handbook.”