Why and When You Should Ask for Feedback

In the corporate world, a year-end and mid-year review might be the only time you get direct, honest feedback from your supervisor. And that’s not enough. By the time six months has rolled around, that’s six months wasted in which you could have improved — if only you had known.

We view feedback as a little scary, but constructive feedback is the ultimate way to improve yourself and your career. You can’t look at your own skills and your own work clearly. You need to see it through the lens of others. And let’s be honest — there’s always room for improvement. No need to feel bad about it!

So what’s a person to do if they want honest feedback? Ask for it! All the time. In fact, make it a habit. When asking for feedback is part of the process, it won’t feel as scary. And you’ll constantly improve at work week in and week out. By the time that six month review rolls around, you could be a rockstar.

Here are some ideas for questions you can ask your supervisors and peers:

After a meeting or presentation…
Ask the attendees what they thought. Did you clearly communicate your ideas? Did you keep their interest? Did they feel their time was wasted? Did everyone walk away with a sense of direction? Was it too long or too short? How was your body language and speaking skills?

After you turn in a project…
Was it as expected? Was it timely? Did you help solve the problem at hand? How could you have worked more efficiently? What could you do to improve upon for next time?

After you train someone…
Was your time spent together valuable? Were any questions left remaining? Did you give too much or too little information? Did you seem knowledgeable on the subject?

 Image via Alan Levine/Flickr.