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.

[Teodora V]

I always preach the need for constructive feedback, no matter my personal or work life. Generative feedback is what makes us move forward and improve, and the poorly provided feedback is the one that can break all progress into pieces.

The worst criticism I have faced in my career is often presented in an entirely negative light, focusing on blame rather than on possible assessment and improvement of the issue. Constructive criticism should be a two-way conversation with points like:

Was this the desired outcome?

Do you think this situation was handled in the best possible way?

Do you believe there is room for improvement?

Most of the time, both sides are aware something bad or negative happened, and instead of circling "why we did this wrong" repeatedly, people must shift their efforts to "how can we learn from our mistakes so we never do this again."

[Kristen Roth]

Exactly, @Teodora V! Fostering a culture of blamelessness is how we can ensure we all learn from our mistakes.

[Humashankar VJ]

Absolutely essential!

[Andy Gladstone]

My former CTO, who I reported directly to at the time, noticed that I was constantly under stress and taking on too many responsibilities. He also saw my growing frustration with some processes and delays. Rather than tell me to 'suck it up' or to take on less, he delivered some of the most poignant constructive criticism I ever received. 

We were located on opposite coasts, and during my monthly visit to the HQ which was based on the West Coast, he took the time to call me in to his office and have an open discussion about my frustrations. After listening to me, which probably was somewhat of a rant, he delivered the constructive criticism that stays with me until today. He said 'Andy, the reason for the misalignment between your expectations and mine is that you are aiming for perfection, and I only want completion. Your striving for perfection leads you to leave too many items in an open state and only 98% complete, which means that 100% of the initiatives are not being committed to. I want 100% of initiatives completed, even if that means most of them will be imperfect.' 

In one session he completely realigned my perspective and gave me license to fail in ,my own eyes, because that would only be a personal failure, and not a professional one that affects others. Since that time I have worked hard to embrace this principle, even though I have not worked for that organization for almost 8 years.

[Kristen Roth]

Wow. Talk about a lasting impression. Thank you for sharing this, @Andy Gladstone! I bet this will resonate with many folks (including myself!).

[Humashankar VJ]

Hi @Kristen Roth 

Well said.

Feedback is essential for growth, and it's time to move beyond outdated methods like the compliment sandwich.

Let's adopt constructive feedback and raise a culture of open communication and continuous improvement

[Kristen Roth]

🙌