Your goal as a professional is to learn, change, and grow over time. You will hear a lot of feedback from others in your department or company. Instead of ignoring it or blocking it out, listen to it with an open mind. Although critical feedback may make you upset or frustrated, take time to think about it. You may find it best to make changes in your work.
Here are five tips for you to use feedback to improve your performance in the workplace:
- Listen with an open mind
- Make appropriate changes
- Keep doing what you are doing well
- Apply feedback to other areas of the job
- Ask for feedback regularly
Listen with an open mind
We have discussed the importance of listening to constructive criticism with an open mind. The same goes for listening to any and all feedback you receive. It is important to remember this, especially when you are in a performance review. The purpose of the review is to give you material to use to improve yourself and your work. Remember to remain calm and professional. Having an open mind will help you consider the feedback and best use it to your benefit.
Make appropriate changes
When you hear feedback from your supervisor, you have a responsibility to make the appropriate changes. For example, in the previous video, one employee admitted her problem with organization. The supervisor told her to meet with a colleague to discuss tips to help fix the problem. The employee should follow up with the colleague and make changes suggested to her. That is not to say that this will be a simple fix to the problem. She may need to talk to other peers or try other things to really help her organization. But, if she doesn’t follow up with her supervisor’s direction, she undermines her supervisor’s advice.
Keep doing what you are doing well
In your performance review, you are bound to hear compliments along with criticism. Don’t dismiss the compliments and remember only what you need to improve. Remember the kind words of your supervisor, and then keep on doing what you do well. Your supervisor keeps you on the job for a reason, so don’t be afraid to play up your strengths and really add value to your team or department.
Apply feedback to other areas of the job
The feedback you receive in one area doesn’t mean it can only be applied to that area. You can, and should, apply feedback you receive to other areas of your job. Let’s use the example of organization. If your supervisor gives you advice to organize your calendar in order to complete your projects earlier, take the opportunity to organize your desk so that you are better able to finish your projects. Even though the supervisor didn’t say, “Organize your desk,” you can still use this to organize other areas of your job and become a more efficient employee. This will help you fix problems before they arise.
Ask for feedback regularly
A great way to become a better employee is to ask for feedback regularly. If you only ask for feedback at your annual or quarterly performance review, you may be scared to hear what your supervisor has to say. On the other hand, if you do so regularly, you will know what is on her mind and what she thinks of your work. You can use this regular feedback to improve your work before your next performance review and take some pressure off of you when it comes around!
Thank you for tuning into our post on performance reviews. If you would like to learn more about teaching workplace readiness skills, click the free trial link below.
