7 Tips for Giving Collective Feedback

Labor relations should not be based on the simple delivery of workforce to the company – be it intellectual or manual – in exchange for a salary. Entrepreneurs and managers must become aware of the importance of feedback, which is a return on employees’ development.

Feedback can help professionals evolve in their trajectory within the company, which reflects on the direction and pursuit of success. Although many managers leave their feedback daily, giving importance to this feedback can generate more positive impacts on the development of teams.

In addition, the improvement in this task can result in opportunities for the company, the manager, and the employee, resulting in progress for everyone. Want to understand a little more? Keep reading!

A significant challenge of running a company is giving feedback to the team, as this process is essential for improving the performance of each employee.

According to a study of nearly 900 participants published on the Harvard Business Review portal, 57% of participants would rather receive corrective feedback than recognition or praise. In addition, 72% indicated that their performance would improve if the manager provided corrective feedback.

What is a Collective Feedback?

Collective Feedback is a type of communication provided from a given event or request where the leader meets with the team to make an overall assessment of the team’s performance in the last period or on a specific project that has taken place.

 It is up to the leader to cite the goals that should be achieved, comparing them with the actual performance. 

Thus, he should also mention the positive aspects and the aspects that could be better. If he feels that the team has maturity, the leader can even give individual praise to colleagues, but personal criticism only in private.

The business environment consists of a tool used to pass on an observation about an employee or team’s performance, behavior, or result.

How to promote the feedback policy in the company?

To generate more benefits for the organization, feedback must become a habit. In a feedback culture, this practice is frequent, being carried out continuously and periodically. If your company does not have this custom yet and you want to implement it, it will take a few steps, as it is a process. We will explain some of these steps below!

7 TIPS FOR GIVING A COLLECTIVE FEEDBACK

Now that you know what collective feedback is and its differences from individual feedback, it’s time to check out the seven tips we’ve separated to guide this process in the best possible way.

1. EXPLAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF FEEDBACK

Collective feedback must be a previously scheduled meeting. When starting it, explain the purpose of the meeting, which is to provide collaborative feedback based on the last period/project. 

Explain that the purpose of feedback is to identify what is going well and deserves to be continued and what has not gone well and needs to change.

Also, emphasize the differences between collective and individual feedback, citing that this is not the time to name names. Reassure everyone and maintain a pleasant climate, preventing employees from adopting very defensive postures.

2. SEPARATE WHAT IS COLLECTIVE FROM WHAT IS INDIVIDUAL

Collective feedback should compare the team’s goals and those achieved. Thus, it is a meeting to reflect on the successful strategies and those that should be replaced on the next occasion.

• This assessment is essential to always talk about the team and not employee X or Y. 
• If any team member made specific mistakes, leave them addressed in individual feedback. 
• However, if it’s a positive performance, praise can even be given in front of the group.

3. SPEAK IN THE FIRST PERSON

When providing feedback, it is vital to use the first person to maintain a less formal tone, valuing the human factor. This also serves to prevent the interlocutor from feeling threatened and defensive.

For example, instead of saying, “you didn’t send the project that was due Thursday,” choose “I didn’t receive the project Thursday.” This change prevents the sentence from being understood accusingly, intimidating the employee.

4. FOCUS ON POSITIVES ASPECTS

Collective feedback is when you motivate your employees to deliver better results consistently. But to increase satisfaction and even synergy among the team, it is essential to focus on its positive points.

Give examples of times when you excelled and highlight the general qualities of the team. Of course, if there are weaknesses to be improved, it is important to mention them. But in a way, that recognition for the effort is always present.

5. BE SPECIFIC

Feedback needs to be specific. Therefore, avoid generic expressions, such as “you were wonderful” or “the team left something to be desired.” Why were they wonderful? Left to be desired in what way? Feedback needs detailed explanations; otherwise, it has no reason to exist.

For example: “the idea of creating a promotional action before ThanksGiving increased sales by 57%, which was a great result” or “the campaign broadcast on social networks had poor results; we need to understand why this happened.” Be objective but specific when evaluating the results.

6. ALLOW EVERYONE TO SPEAK

In a joint feedback meeting, it is natural for the leader to speak more, at least at first. However, everyone must have an opportunity to express themselves, either pointing out possible causes of errors or recognizing good results.

It is essential to encourage this interactivity; after all, everyone has a different point of view. However, advise your collaborators not to mention names and always keep the conversation in respectful tones. Particular problems must be resolved privately at the appropriate time.

7. ALWAYS COMPLETE WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT

A feedback meeting is not a courtroom where we identify mistakes and find culprits. The purpose of these meetings is different: to determine the causes of problems and collectively raise ideas so that errors are not repeated and that the good results obtained will be even better in the future.

Often, the best solutions emerge from combining ideas from different people. That’s why collective feedback is so important, as it stimulates creative thinking with the best that each employee can offer. So, give your suggestions and allow others to provide them too.

Conclusion

Therefore, a collective feedback is an opportunity for work teams to evaluate the results obtained, understanding how they can improve what was already good and how to correct the mistakes made. 

The important thing is to conduct the process with ethics, respect, and specific criteria, without generic phrases. 

Reference and Further Reading

7 Tips for Giving Valuable Feedback in the Workplace – 2022

 7 Tips for Giving Great Feedback | Inc.com

 20 Tips On How To Give And Receive Feedback – Ace The  Presentation.