How to Give Good Reviews at Work Without Feeling Embarrassed
There are a few things you can do right now to improve your workplace. It requires very little effort, costs nothing, and will not only improve the work of your colleagues, but also cheer them up. This will probably make you feel good. All you have to do is sincerely thank, appreciate, acknowledge or acknowledge the contributions of your colleagues. Simply put, you must learn to give others good reviews.
This is a meaningful action that anyone can take to make a measurable positive impact on the work environment as well as improve the quality of work. These researchers found that when team members trust that their colleagues respect and appreciate them, they perform better at their work tasks. Mutual respect and appreciation are the foundation of a healthy and productive work environment.
The problem is that people don’t do it often enough; When I ask teams why they don’t get to know each other well, I hear a lot of reasons. Some mention that they don’t know what to say, but some feel uncomfortable for fear that others will think they want something or have hidden agendas. This often happens with teams that are not yet accustomed to appreciating each other. They are skeptical when they hear something positive. Some even see positive feedback as a sign of weakness. The good news is that this is easy to change. The more sincere positive feedback colleagues receive, the more likely they are to accept it. This often inspires people to give it to others and so on.
Also, don’t worry if you work for an organization that doesn’t have positive reviews. Raise this topic with like-minded people. Team up and start with each other, then challenge each other to move on to others. Start small and gradually expand the circle of people you recognize and recognize. Most likely it will stick.
Here are some tips to get you started.
Give positive feedback which is genuine
Authenticity is key. Don’t go around spraying flattery all over the place and saying, “You’re awesome!” or “Everyone did a great job!” This will annoy people, and an assessment without context and specificity can make you look naive.
Also, good feedback is more meaningful if the person doesn’t get it too often, so find the right rhythm. It may depend on work and relationships: giving good reviews to your boss twice a week will make you look like a sucker, but once a month it can make a big difference to him. (Being a manager can feel ungrateful. Bosses love appreciation too.) Find the right balance so that when you give feedback, the person receiving it accepts it as sincerely as you do.
Be specific in your feedback
When a colleague makes a clear and concise presentation, telling stories and using good visuals, don’t say “Great presentation!” It’s nice, but the problem with favors is that they’re just… good. You want the person to know exactly what you think of their work so they know what to repeat. In addition, general compliments from a colleague are easily dismissed. If you want to get the most out of good feedback at work, be specific.
Use a framework
Some say they feel embarrassed about giving good feedback because they don’t know what to say or how to say it. Practicing with the framework is helpful. Try it:
- Describe what happened: “Hi Melissa, I appreciate your comment today on how we can rethink our customer interactions.”
- Describe the impact: “It opened my eyes to a new problem that needs to be explored in more detail.”
- Say thanks: “Thanks for speaking up. It was great to get your opinion.”
If this approach is new to you, put the format on a sticky note so you can easily remind yourself what to say and how to say it. Feel free to prepare your review ahead of time so that when the time comes, you’ll be ready. Also, the more you use the framework, the less you will rely on notes.
Starting today, make it your mission to be the best at providing good reviews. Be sincere, specific, and use frames to make your words meaningful.