Conversations at our workplace are very common. We communicate daily with our superiors, peers or even subordinates. From time to time we also give feedback to our peers & subordinates which is usually a one-way communication. However, today more and more leaders are going for “Two-way feedback”, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the process of feedback itself.

Two-way feedback, which is being increasingly encouraged today, happens when each party assumes the role of feedback giver and receiver in the conversation. The aim is to have both the parties involved experience the feedback process by way of giving & receiving constructive feedback. Such a feedback process can take place during an annual review, asking someone how a meeting went or even asking your subordinate how the project that he is working on is going. Having said this, while we are giving or receiving feedback, we should make sure it is clear, realistic, actionable, well-balanced and well-timed to be as efficient as possible.

The course of a two-way conversation or feedback is determined by the nature of questions asked and answered. For example: “What is it that we are doing right and what is it that we are doing wrong and needs to change?”. This question can be asked and answered by both the parties in context to their work. However, there are several hindrances in this process, mainly:

• The belief that the supervisor always knows more than the employee and does not need to receive feedback

• The fear of receiving unhelpful or painful criticism

• Not having enough time to ‘reflect’ on self for the purpose of the feedback process

• Personal agendas / bias

• One of the parties is interested or is not responding to such feedback.

 

The following are things you can keep in mind to give an effective feedback -

• Give a 360-degree feedback – A 360 degree feedback is a process through which a single employee receives feedback from his subordinates, peers and supervisors as well as a self-evaluation by the employee.

• Before giving any feedback, do your due research on the matter you are going to give feedback on and the employee

• Make sure you do it in person and it is constructive feedback – Constructive feedback is feedback which is information specific, issue-focused and based on observations. Praise and Criticism are the two sides of such a feedback and are used together.

 

While giving feedback is important, the way we receive it is also important. Therefore, to receive feedback efficiently we can do the following:

 

• One way of going about receiving feedback is to ask for it whenever you think it is necessary

• When receiving feedback, try to have an open mind and do not take it personally 

• Take note of the feedback which is being given to you and identify the areas you need to work on

 

• Following up is also an important part of receiving feedback especially when you have started working on your identified areas.

Feedback is an integral part of all communication and more so in the workplace. Therefore, engaging in two-way feedback with an open mind and clarity about why the feedback is being given, can make the process of feedback much more effective.