Feedback is one of the most important things a person needs to allow to solid personal development. Although there is such a thing as unconstructive feedback, which can actually have a negative impact on personal development and growth, and this is why it is important to know how to give and receive feedback properly, so that it is as constructive as possible.
Feedback within a business should also not just be from management or leaders down, it should be more of a 360-degree focus. This means that managers give feedback to their employees and their employees give feedback to them. It needs to be done in a way that can help individuals learn properly about what they are doing well, and what they can improve on, with achievable action items given.
When done in the right way feedback can be very beneficial and it is important for personal development. Have a read on below to find a more information on why feedback is important:
Motivation
Feedback is great at motivating people, when they know they are doing something good within the workspace, then they are likely to continue to do that to ensure they are getting that good feedback. When you give feedback it makes employees feel more valued and that you actually care about them, and want them to do their best.
Even feedback that isn’t necessarily positive can still motivate employees, if it is done in the right way. So, when you are giving feedback think about what you are going to say and how you are going to say it, to ensure you get the right message across.
Constant Development
Feedback is a very powerful tool to help aid continual development and learning. It is important to understand that not everyone will do things the same way, and that doesn’t make it right or wrong, just different. So giving people feedback on their individual situation will help them improve and be better.
No one should rest on their laurels, there is always something new and exciting to learn about. You don’t finish learning after you stop going to school or complete your college degree. Proper feedback can provide the areas in which an individual needs to work on more, which can build their personal development.
Continuous Stream
There should always be a continuous stream of feedback. It doesn’t necessarily need to be feedback given in a formal setting, like when a business has a performance review. It could be something as simple as just having a quick chat with someone about the recent work they have completed.
It is also a good idea for any business to run employee surveys regularly, to see how the employees feel about the business. If the business can create a better place that people want to work at, it can also improve morale and motivation, which is likely to make the business more productive and successful.
Improve Performance
Employees may not necessarily know what they are doing wrong or what they are doing right without proper feedback. When a business does give constructive feedback it can help improve the performance of the individual employee, which may in turn improve the performance of the company as a whole.
While many can sometimes mistake feedback for criticism, if it is done in the right sprit, then the person receiving the feedback would be able to take what has been said on board and try to make themselves better. Constructive criticism is actually a powerful tool and can motivate employees to do better and make more positive decisions.