What it means

You have probably come across it before: feedback, or giving someone a response to their work. But what does that response actually mean, and what is the meaning of feedback? We will walk you through it and give you tips on what giving feedback involves and how Treams can lend a hand. Feedback means giving someone a response to their behaviour, performance and/or development. That means it is not an established fact, but an opinion or observation from the person giving it. It is indispensable if you want to keep developing. In an ideal world, every company would have a culture in which people naturally speak up when they see something going well, or not going well. Feedback is the fuel for personal development and growth.

Why is asking for and giving feedback so nerve-racking?

Many employees receive feedback only once a year, usually at the end of the year to take stock of how things went. Unfortunately, many people still see asking for and giving feedback as a waste of their time and a confirmation of what they already know. For others, the idea of colleagues assessing them is deeply nerve-racking. They often do not see what giving and asking for it can actually deliver, and would rather avoid it.

Why does giving and asking for feedback matter?

There are many reasons why feedback matters. We are social creatures. We want to make a good contribution to the work we do, or to the team we work in. If you get feedback continuously, you know how you are doing and can adjust at any moment. Second, we want to be seen and appreciated for what we do. Recognition and appreciation are, after food and drink, the most important human needs. Get more recognition and you go to work with more pleasure, which leads to more happiness at work . Using feedback to check with others whether you are on the right track gives you certainty, and you grow much faster than someone who does not get it. Every time you get feedback on how you could do something better, you take another step forward.

How do you start?

Giving and receiving feedback is difficult, especially if you are not used to it. It always has to be given with the intention of making the other person better. We are all too good at explaining what someone else is doing wrong, and as soon as others have criticism of us, we struggle to handle it. Anger comes up and we push back. That fear can be removed very simply by putting the emphasis on asking for feedback rather than giving it. When you have to give someone unsolicited feedback, the heart rate goes up for the giver and the receiver alike. The moment you start asking, you can deliberately put a question you control. That opens you up to the other person's feedback and lets them give an open and honest answer. So take matters into your own hands and start by asking for feedback. Here are a few tips to help you.

How can software help?

To genuinely work on personal growth and development, people need feedback from a range of perspectives. With a feedback app like Treams, you can ask your colleagues for feedback with a couple of clicks. An app also makes it very easy to ask for 360-degree feedback , from customers or suppliers, for instance. A feedback tool helps you ask the right question and gives you room to think about what you want to ask. Want to learn more about Treams, about feedback, about how to implement it and how to deal with any tension or friction that comes up while using the feedback tool? Treams offers an exclusive, online and free masterclass. In just one hour it covers the different sides of feedback and how to apply them in your own field. Sign up and become an expert in feedback.