How to give inclusive feedback

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Giving career-building feedback

Most people come to work to do a good job and doesn’t praise feel great! But “brilliant work” and “awesome, thanks!” doesn’t provide much guidance about what earned the praise and this doesn’t help someone grow.

Research shows that feedback, especially performance feedback is affected by our biases and this is impacting marginalised people’s career growth.

In this beginner level course, we look at how unconscious bias affects our perceptions and decision-making, and then we delve into how to give everyone good career-building feedback. As part of the course, you’re asked to put this into practice with completing one action of giving feedback. Remember you don’t just have to be a people leader to give feedback. This is an invaluable skill we can all give. 

Inclusive feedback

Step one: Understanding impact of biases

Feedback is an invaluable tool for growth and development. However, it’s essential to recognise that biases can shape the nature of feedback and influence who receives it.

Feedback biases, which often stem from unconscious stereotypes or preconceptions, can affect how feedback is given and received. These biases impact not only individuals but also have broader implications for businesses.

Biases can lead to unequal distribution of feedback, where some individuals receive more opportunities for growth and development than others. As a result, those who belong to underrepresented or marginalised groups may face barriers to receiving constructive feedback, hindering their professional development.

Understanding and addressing feedback biases is not just a matter of fairness; it’s also critical for businesses. By mitigating biases in feedback processes, organisations can unlock the full potential of their diverse talent, fostering innovation, inclusivity, and productivity.

So take a moment to learn about unconscious biases. Read our article “Unpacking Unconscious Bias to make better decisions”  or search the internet for alternative articles about unconscious bias and build your familiarity with the types of biases that can impact your decisions.

Step Two: Finding a framework

Now that you have some understanding about how biases can impact feedback, let’s look at a simple framework to help give feedback. If our framework doesn’t feel right for you, take some time to research other options on the internet, or asked a mentor or coach you admire how they give feedback and see if you can identify an underlying framework or structure.

Click here to read our article about “Making feedback count”

Checkboxes

And now put this into practice

Think about a recent interaction and draft some feedback for the person. Then use the feedback checker enter your draft in our feedback Checker and check for potential biases.

Remember to add actions to log and track your DEI impact.

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About the Author

Jodie Osborn Avatar
Jodie Osborn
Jodie Osborn, CEO of PickleWork, is a seasoned executive with an illustrious career spanning nearly three decades. With a relentless drive for success, Jodie has been instrumental in shaping the course of PickleWork. With over 25 years of distinguished leadership experience, Jodie has navigated diverse roles with unwavering acumen. From strategic planning to operational design and delivery, Jodie possesses a unique talent for translating visions into tangible outcomes. Jodie is also writing a science fiction novel and training a very intelligent chocolate labrador, Toby, to become an exceptional Assistance Dog for their teenager.
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