Feedback is breakfast for champions

Feedback is sooooooooooooo important if you want to grow, excel or further develop. Both giving and receiving feedback can be very powerful, but for some reason many people are really bad at it. I would like to share my opinion on this topic with you and some useful insights to improve your feedback skills.

Giving feedback

• Be clear about the message. Don't cover up negative feedback with an endless long introduction with compliments. You only give these compliments to sleep better at night and temper your conscious.
• Don't think your associate did a good job, but tell him he did a good job ! Many people are apparently afraid to give positive feedback. If somebody did a good job, tell him, and you'll see a smile on his face. If you don't tell him he might avoid the effort next time. 
• Don't wait for the annual appraisal to give feedback ! OK, the appraisals are a formal moment to give somebody feedback on his work, but during the year you are also allowed to give feedback to your staff !
• Not only bosses should give feedback ! Upwards feedback can also be very strong. Ok, I agree you should be carefull, especially with negative feedback and OK don't compliment your boss every day or he might think you need a raise. But when you have honest feedback for you boss, give it to him in an authentic way. 

Receiving feedback

• Listen carefully when somebody is giving you feedback, you might learn something ! Both negative and positive feedback can be great learning moments. Be open when somebody has the courage to give you feedback.
• Don't turn on the defense mode when you receive feedback. If you turn on the defense mode, great feedback will turn up into a fight and that's a waste of energy as we know. 
• Accept compliments. Compliments give us energy and make us aware we are doing the right things right. 

And most of all, don't forget the words of Ken Blanchard 

FEEDBACK IS BREAKFAST FOR CHAMPIONS