How has constructive criticism helped you grow? 🤔

[Kristen Roth]

Feedback is universally intimidating – for the giver and the recipient – but we all need to get comfortable with it in order to grow, personally and professionally.

The problem is, ineffective methods of delivering feedback – compliment sandwich, anyone? 🥪 – are used more often than those that get to the root of the problem allowing us us to grow, learn, and improve.

Let’s declare the compliment sandwich officially defunct and refocus our efforts on meaningful, constructive feedback. Our Work Life blog on how to deliver and receive constructive criticism goes into detail on each of the below five points, spelling out how to get feedback right:

1. Consider your timing

2. Stay objective

3. Focus on solutions

4. Open up a conversation

5. Follow up on the feedback

We’d love to hear about a time constructive feedback helped you improve at your job. What made that feedback helpful? Join us in the comments for a discussion!

[Atangan_ Mark Anthony V]

The follow up on the feedback is a crucial element

[Alex G]

This is so important! Thanks to applying constructive feedback I have been able to better manage my work team.

[Josh Shepherd]

Just a general comment: "Constructive" is the key word here. There is definitely a good way to both give an receive criticism and both people need to be in the right frame of mind at that moment. I think asking if someone wants it is a good start. Also how you phrase it - it is a complaint or a genuine observation with feedback that is intended to help someone. I think too often things can get personal and we need to work to have this come from a truly altruistic place.