*and finally get that promotion
it like it is
How to tell
Receivingconstructive
criticismonyourworkcanbe
terrifying.Butdoitrightandit
canbea careergame-changer
F
ive short words. One terrifying phrase. “Can I offer
some feedback?” Wherever you’ve worked, the
chances are someone has told you just how well –
or not – you are doing. But do you really need it?
Feedback is the subject of hot debate in the business
world. A new study by the University Of Toronto found that
feedback can stifle creativity, while research by London’s
Queen Mary University says that, when given during a
complex task, it can hinder performance. And a recent
Harvard Business Review story called it a “fallacy”, saying
others’ views of our work are “more distortion than truth”.
On the flipside, Netflix reportedly encourages harsh feedback
and holds dinners where staff go around the table criticising
others (gulp).* In Silicon Valley, the trend is “radical candour”, a
concept developed by executive coach Kim Scott, where bosses
“challenge directly” and tell employees how they can improve.
So how do you ensure feedback helps, rather than harms,
your career (and your self-esteem)? We asked the experts...WHEN TO ASK
You don’t have to
wait for an annual
appraisal to find out how
you’re doing, but make sure
there’s a purpose for seeking
feedback. “Asking all the
time signals insecurity,” says
career expert John Lees.†
“Don’t ask enough and
there’s a danger you’re
operating in a bubble.” A
good time to do it, he says,
is when you get a sense that
things aren’t moving in the
direction you’d like. Maybe
you’ve been overlooked for
a promotion, you know a
meeting went badly, or have
heard rumours that you’re
not seen as an enthusiastic
team member. The end ofa big project is also a good
time, says Helen Matthews,
chief people officer at
advertising agency Ogilvy
UK. “I encourage staff to do
it then, as their work’s fresh.”WHO TO ASK
You don’t always
have to get it
from your boss. If they’re
too busy, or you’re worried
about exposing your
insecurities, ask someone
else you trust (who will be
honest). It could be a peer,
a manager not directly
responsible for you, or even
a client. “Look for someone
who is good at picking
up how other people are
perceived,” says Lees. ›COSMOPOLITAN · 65