If you’re new to your team or the branded merch world in general, feedback can be a great tool. It helps you learn faster and figure out what’s working before unhelpful habits set in. The trick is asking for feedback the right way. It’s not enough to just say, “How am I doing?” This often leads to a vague answer.
It’s better, according to Vantage Circle’s Shikha Gogoi, to follow a specific 5-step sequence. Otherwise, she says the conversation just becomes polite instead of helpful. In this issue of PromoPro Daily, we highlight her thoughts on why it can be difficult asking for feedback and how you can do it the right way.
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Why Is Asking So Tough?
Most people think asking for feedback is an act of confidence. Really, though, it’s an act of trust.
Gogoi says the moment you ask, you’re placing another person in an uncomfortable position. They have to decide whether to tell you what they really think or protect the relationship. Most people choose the relationship.
That’s why feedback conversations so often end with reassuring phrases like “You’re doing great” or “Nothing comes to mind.” Not because there isn’t anything to say, according to Gogoi, but because honesty carries a social cost. Nobody wants to be the person who turns a routine conversation into an uncomfortable one.
Follow These 5 Steps
- Pick 1 piece of work — not your performance. Every time you ask, “How am I doing?” you’re asking the other person to compress weeks or months of observations into a single answer. Instead, Gogoi recommends shrinking the conversation. Point to a presentation, a call, a document, a decision or a meeting. The more specific the moment, the more specific the feedback.
- Name what you want assessed. Maybe you’re looking for feedback on a meeting and if your tone was right. Or perhaps you want to know if you answered objections correctly. Gogoi says a specific dimension gives them permission to focus instead of searching for everything that might be worth mentioning.
- Ask while the work is still recent. Feedback has an expiration date. The sooner you have the conversation, the more useful it becomes, he says. If you wait until your quarterly review, you’re just asking for memories.
- Give them an easy way to say no. The more pressure people feel to answer, the less honest they’re likely to be, Gogoi points out. Try saying something like, “No pressure if now isn’t a good time. We can talk later.”
- Close the loop and tell them what happened. Almost everyone skips this step, Gogoi says. After someone gives you feedback, tell them what you changed. A quick follow-up shows you listened and valued their input.
It’s not wrong to ask, “Do you have any feedback for me?” but it’s not very useful. Instead, get specific and ask while the work was fresh. Then, follow up on what you learned. A few changes in your approach can make a big difference.
Compiled by Audrey Sellers
Source: Shikha Gogoi is a content marketing specialist focused on SEO-driven content around employee engagement, recognition, and workplace culture, helping build people-first workplaces.
