This week is “Perspectives Week” (time to request or provide feedback to peers across the org / company) so I’ll share out some of my tips on how I approach this:

• Where
  • I use our internal MSConnect tool for majority of feedback requests, but also Yammer Praise for sending kudos / feedback to people who may not have requested feedback from me.
• Who
  • Identify a mix of people inside your group (M2, aka manager’s manager, level and below) as well as outside.
  • Target individuals in varying roles (ex. marketing, engineering, sales, etc.) 
• When
  • I like to request feedback 2x times per calendar year, ~2 months before my next semesterly review cycle (called a “Connect”).
    • This usually lands Feb-Mar and Sept-Oct.  This also avoids semester planning timeframes when many teams are heads down on writing / reviewing papers.
  • Do not request feedback from someone more than 1x per year.
    • This is not a hard requirement, but I find my own feedback for someone doesn’t change drastically within a given year.
• How
  • Customize your request for feedback.
    • Include specific projects / teams / work efforts that you have collaborated on to focus the person’s feedback on.
    • Ex. “As we have been working together on <Project X>, I would appreciate any feedback you can share on my work or areas for improvement. Thank you for your time and attention.”
  • Provide constructive / usable feedback.
    • When filling out feedback for others, take the time to share actionable or thought-provoking feedback.
    • Avoid “you’re doing a great job” type bland feedback.

Two final notes.

• Use the feedback system that makes sense
  • Not everyone is comfortable with sharing feedback is an official tool.  Others may prefer 1:1 chat / email / face to face.
• Don’t worry if you don’t get a response
  • People are busy.  I know a number of peers who are overwhelmed by the number of feedback requests they receive (in addition to normal work).  You can “nudge” someone 1:1 if they haven’t responded on your feedback request, but also be respectful of their time.

How do you approach sharing and requesting feedback? Share your thoughts in the comments.

-Frog Out

Reference:
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