6 ways to get better feedback at work

YOU need feedback to learn and grow, but if you are waiting for your annual review to find out how you are performing, you are not getting enough. So what is the right way to ask for and get the feedback that you need? Here are some suggestions to keep in mind.

1. Understand what you are looking for. Do you want more appreciation or acknowledgment? Evaluation of your performance on a particular project or task? Or general coaching about how you can improve and learn? Identifying what you are looking for will help you craft your approach.

2. Ask for feedback in real time. If you want some insight into how you did on a particular task or how you might improve on the next project, do not dawdle. You also do not have to schedule time in advance or make a formal approach. Try pulling your boss aside after a meeting and get his or her reaction about your role in a recent project.

3. Pose specific questions. Whatever you do, do not begin by asking, "Do you have any feedback for me?" Tailor the question to the specific situation: "What is one thing I could have done better in that meeting or presentation?" And avoid asking questions that are likely to result in yes or no answers. Ask questions that begin with "how" or "what" to elicit fuller responses.

4. Press for examples. Once you have asked for feedback, you may have to probe for more specific answers. If someone gives a vague answer like, "You need to be more assertive," ask them to explain what they mean or how you could have been more assertive.

5. Turn to colleagues. Your boss is not the only one qualified to give you feedback. The people in the meeting with you or reading your spreadsheets are the ones who have the information to help you improve. To kick-start a regular feedback loop with colleagues, offer your input, observations and praise for their work as well.

6. On virtual teams, ask more frequently. It can be particularly hard for virtual team members to get regular feedback, since physical distance often prevents informal exchanges. In this case, getting feedback is completely your responsibility.

Adapted from How to get the feedback you need at HBR.org.

© 2015 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp