What You Can Do to Get Better Feedback

Would you rather be praised for your intelligence or your effort?

The type of feedback likely makes a difference in the effort you put in at work.

Researchers gave a group of 5th graders an easy IQ test. They praised half of the students for their effort in completing the test and praised the other half for their intelligence and performance on the test.

The researchers then gave the students the chance to take a more challenging test. 67% of the students who had been praised for their intelligence took the harder test. But a staggering 92% of students who had been praised for their effort took the harder option.

Think about that in a work setting–giving the right feedback and praising employees for their effort can push them to try more challenging things and take on more demanding projects. It can be the difference between creating an engaged employee and someone just there for a paycheck.

But what if you aren’t a manager or leader? How can you get better feedback? Here are three suggestions:

1. Ask for it. Talk to your leader about the feedback process. Have open communication and be clear about your expectations for ongoing feedback.
2. Internalize the feedback you get. Too often, we take feedback personally and get defensive. Instead, internalize the feedback and use it as a chance to learn and improve.
3. Focus on the effort, not just the end result. The journey matters. Take time to acknowledge your progress, not just the end result.

No matter if you are a leader, manager, or employee, feedback matters.

Giving and asking for the right feedback can transform your performance and your entire team and company.

If you want to grow as a person and employee, focus on giving and getting better feedback.

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