You’re sure to have at least a few times at work when you want to put in a request for feedback on a project you’re working on. Whether you’re a manager, team member, or the head of your company, it’s common to want feedback. When you want feedback, there are proper ways to request it so that you get what you’re looking for.

Let’s look at why feedback is so important and how to properly put in your request for feedback!

How Putting in a Request for Feedback Helps You

Did you know that more than half of all employees wish they got feedback more often? Are you one of those workers? If so, asking for feedback can be the answer to your request.

Of course, it can be scary to request feedback. You may be nervous to see what people truly think of your work. However, it’s one of the best ways to improve at work!

If you request feedback regularly, you’re likely to see many benefits from it! Some of the most common benefits include:

  • Showing your manager that you take ownership of your position and the work you do.
  • Increasing your overall confidence in the workplace is likely to increase your productivity as well.
  • Cultivating a culture of feedback that becomes contagious – before you know it, feedback will become a normal part of your workplace.
  • Beginning a healthy dialogue about your work with your manager
  • Increased solutions to problems that arise.

There are many other benefits as well; these are just some of the most common ones. With that in mind, you can see why sending in your request for feedback is a great idea when you need it. So now, let’s look at how to ask for feedback!

How to Request Feedback the Right Way

How to Properly Put Out a Request for Feedback

There are right and wrong ways to request feedback, so it’s important to approach it correctly. Fortunately, there are some great tips that you should use that can help you get the feedback you’re looking for!

Consider What You Want from Your Request for Feedback

The first part of asking for feedback is knowing what you’re looking to gain in the feedback session. You should want to get some actionable steps to take in whatever project you’re looking for feedback on.

Asking for feedback just to see if you’re doing a good job isn’t a proper goal. You should have a specific desire that you’re looking to achieve in the feedback. When you get good feedback, it will help you grow in your position and do better on the project at hand.

Try to pick a couple of specific places that you want feedback on or an extra set of eyes on. Feedback can help you recognize both your strengths and weak areas in the workplace. This is why being specific about the feedback you’re looking for is a great first step.

Ask the Right People for Feedback

Just like it’s important to ask for the right type of feedback, you need to ask the right person as well. Your first consideration should be asking someone who is either directly involved in your project or has a detailed understanding of what it entails. This will help you make sure you’re getting accurate and knowledgeable feedback.

Not only that, but you want to make sure you’re asking someone who you trust in the workplace. The more mutual respect there is in your relationship, the better your feedback session is likely to be. Usually, this will include people that you work with most regularly.

Many times, people will ask for feedback from their managers, but that isn’t always a requirement. 360 feedback is a feedback method that includes asking for feedback from people at your level, above you, and below you. This can give you a more complete vision of how you’re doing in a project.

Ask the Right Questions

You know what feedback you’re looking for and who you’re asking. Now it’s time to make sure you’re asking the right questions when you request feedback. When you’re deciding what questions you want to ask, remember that they should be specific enough that you get feedback on the areas you’re focusing on.

When it comes to questions, it’s a good idea to have a mix of the three types of questions prepared:

  • Open-ended: These questions require detailed answers that usually have an explanation involved. These are great for getting specific information on certain areas. They also open up more opportunities for dialogue.
  • Yes or No: These questions will give you short answers that are simply “yes” or “no.” These types of questions are great if you need to simply confirm a piece of data or get a quick answer.
  • Follow-up: You should also always have some ideas for follow-up questions. These are in response to an answer you receive with your other questions that are often more specific. They can dig deeper into an answer you receive from an open-ended question and may vary based on what the previous answer was.

Take Notes

You may think that you can remember all of the feedback you receive in a session, but that isn’t usually true. It’s a great idea to jot down some quick notes on what you’re told so that you can go back and review it.

Feedback should be a chance to see how others see you at work, so it’s best to come into the session with an open mind. You may not agree with everything told to you during the session, but that’s okay. You should still acknowledge it and make note of everything discussed.

Reflect on What You Learn

Once you have the feedback you were looking for, you need to take some time to reflect on it. You should consider every piece of feedback you receive with an open mind. From there, you can come up with an idea of how to implement the feedback you got.

When you get feedback, you need to follow up on it and make sure you’re utilizing what you’ve learned. Here are some ways to do that:

  • Consider the changes you can make quickly and begin implementing them.
  • Break down a step-by-step plan for how to implement the changes that will take more time.
  • Ask to meet up with the person who gave you feedback again in a month or so to look at how you’ve improved since the first session.

Sending a Request for Feedback via Email

Now that so many people are working from home, it can be difficult to get in-person feedback. However, you can still properly request feedback through an email as long as you follow the right process.

Sending a request for feedback through an email will allow you to take time to clearly communicate your goals for the feedback you receive. Through the feedback request, you can make it clear you’re not looking for anything too formal but that you would like to do a video chat for the feedback session.

While not ideal, having a video session for feedback is better than receiving feedback through an email reply or over a phone call. It’s the second best option if you aren’t able to have an in-person meeting.

When you’re sending an email to request feedback, keep these tips in mind:

  • Be brief with your request
  • Start with your feedback request
  • Follow your request with the specific type of feedback you’re looking for
  • Make the text easy to scan
  • Be specific about what you’re looking for
  • Have only one or two areas you want to focus on
  • Provide any relevant information to allow the receiver to properly prepare for your feedback session

As with in-person feedback sessions, it’s important to enter a virtual feedback session with an open mind. Don’t feel like you have to react quickly just because you’re using technology to communicate. Take as much time as you need to digest what you learn during your feedback session.

Final Tips on Receiving Feedback

Of course, with all of this information on how to ask for feedback, it’s important to prepare for the feedback you’re about to receive. When you ask for feedback, you need to be ready to get help, have realizations that aren’t comfortable, and prepare to adjust your habits.

If you aren’t ready for these three steps, you need to take time to prepare those areas before you ask for feedback. Otherwise, you won’t be open to receiving feedback in the way it’s intended.

Remember, when receiving feedback, you need to keep these tips in mind:

  • Have an open mind
  • Remember that your goal is to grow
  • Be vulnerable and express your feelings when you need to
  • Don’t take feedback personally

Takeaway

Putting in a request for feedback can be intimidating, but it can help you grow at work in impressive ways. Remember to be clear, professional, and open-minded when it comes to requesting and receiving feedback. Have a specific area that you’re looking for feedback on and communicate that to the person giving you feedback.  When you request feed on your own, it shows initiative, professionalism, and passion for your position!