Imagine receiving ‘critical’ feedback from your mom or best friend! If anything, it probably won’t make you cringe – right? Now imagine getting the same feedback from some rando. Can you see the difference?

Even good feedback could fall flat for the lack of trust between the giver and the receiver. No wonder, team bonding and mutual respect are critical to building a healthy feedback culture. But how will go about creating a strong feedback culture in your company? Here are some practical tips.

1. Provide training
Often, people would hold back from giving feedback because they are not sure how to craft a message that won’t offend the recipient. On the other hand, the recipient should know how to appreciate constructive feedback. Otherwise, they may end up giving a wrong message to the feedback giver.

In either case, a little training can go a long way to make your team confident about giving or receiving feedback. For instance, you can book training room rental or seminar room rental to train your managers and employees on how to communicate feedback effectively.

2. Lead by example
It’s one thing to preach, it’s another to practice what you preach! As a leader, you need to show your team members that you truly believe in what you say. If you often suggest being open to receiving feedback, then show them how well you receive feedback from your juniors.

Ask for feedback from them. And when someone gives you a good suggestion, incorporate that in your next action.

3. Set clear expectations
Believe in the power of systems. Create a system for giving and receiving feedback. Clearly specify 1) who should give feedback, 2) when they should give feedback, 3) how they should give feedback, 4) what to do if the recipient is resistant to feedback, etc.

When you set clear expectations, people won’t avoid feedback. On the contrary, they’ll know exactly what to do when giving or receiving feedback.