Getting the Ball Rolling

Surprisingly, the most common complaint we hear about feedback is, “I don’t get enough.” This tells us that despite feedback’s damaged brand most of us still crave it and intuitively know that it’s a good thing—when it’s done right. However, even when we take into account all the “unregistered” feedback we’ve been receiving, most of us are still experiencing a feedback deficit. A 2018 Office Vibe “Global State of Employee Engagement” study found that 62 percent of employees want more feedback from their colleagues, and 83 percent said they appreciate feedback, be it positive or negative.

This is the paradox: despite the mess we’ve made of it, most of us want more feedback, yet few of us make a habit of actively seeking or extending it. Feedback begets feedback, but somebody needs to help get this ball rolling. What if that somebody were you?