How to Give Feedback to Your Manager
Performance reviews can be incredibly anxiety-inducing. Typically, they involve a manager evaluating their subordinate, highlighting strengths, and identifying areas for improvement.
But what if we reversed the roles?
What if the employee had the opportunity to provide feedback to their manager on how they can become a more effective leader?
The idea of that can be more nerve-wracking for employees than undergoing a performance review themselves. However, upward feedback is crucial to creating a more transparent workplace that values continuous improvement.
In this article we will discuss:
What is Upward Feedback?
Upward feedback, is a constructive communication process within organizations that allows employees to provide input, insights, and evaluations to their supervisors, managers, or higher-ups.
This method of assessment, often referred to as "feedback from below," is valuable as it enables employees to share their perspectives, concerns, and suggestions with those in leadership positions.
Why Upward Feedback is Important
✅Increases managerial self-awareness
A study found that 65% of employees (including managers) report wanting more feedback.
Managers are like any other employees in which understanding their performance and blind spots will only help them be more successful at work.
Upward feedback helps managers gain authentic insights into their strengths and weaknesses from the perspective of those they lead. This self-awareness can be valuable for personal and professional development.
✅Facilitates professional growth
Employees are more likely to provide feedback when they perceive that their manager's performance is impacting their work.
By adopting an effective approach to these conversations, employees can effectively address conflicts, improve operational processes, and build their communication and constructive criticism skills.
On the receiving end, when managers actively listen to their team members and implement relevant changes based on this feedback, they can unlock opportunities for growth that might have otherwise taken years to realize.
✅Supports a feedback culture
When managers actively seek and welcome upward feedback, it sets an example for employees to do the same, creating a culture of feedback and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
Having a culture that promotes growth can lower turnover rates, with companies that implement regular feedback loops experiencing 14.9% lower turnover rates.
✅Creates an inclusive environment
For every HR and DEI professional, finding ways to foster a sense of belonging in the workplace is a key deliverable. encouraging upward feedback can be a crucial element in fostering inclusivity and diversity within organizations.
💼What Type of Manager Do You Have?
Here are the 5 different types of managers you may encounter and their traits:
Results-Oriented Manager
Performance-Focused: Emphasizes achieving results and meeting targets.
Decisive: Makes timely decisions to ensure progress toward goals.
Metrics-Driven: Relies on data and key performance indicators to evaluate success.
Accountable: Takes responsibility for the team's outcomes and addresses performance issues proactively.
2. People-Oriented Manager
Empathetic: Understands and values the needs and concerns of team members.
Effective Communicator: Listens actively and communicates openly with the team.
Team Builder: Fosters a positive team culture and promotes collaboration.
Mentorship: Invests in the development and growth of individual team members.
3. Transformational Leader
Visionary: Inspires the team with a compelling vision for the future.
Innovative: Encourages creativity and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
Charismatic: Builds strong relationships and influences others through personal charisma.
Adaptive: Embraces change and guides the team through periods of transition.
4. Laissez-Faire Manager
Hands-Off: Delegates tasks and responsibilities to team members.
Trusts the Team: Believes in the competence and capabilities of team members.
Supportive: Offers guidance and resources when needed but avoids micromanaging.
Facilitative: Focuses on creating an environment that allows the team to work independently.
5. Authoritarian Manager
Clear Direction: Provides clear and specific instructions to the team.
Disciplined: Maintains a structured and disciplined work environment.
Efficiency-Focused: Prioritizes productivity and adherence to established processes.
Quick Decision-Maker: Makes rapid decisions to keep the team on track.
How to Give Effective Feedback to Your Manager
The power dynamic with your manager can create a sense of unease when it comes to offering feedback. In the following steps, we outline a method for providing feedback effectively:
Understand the Dynamic of the Relationship
Trust is the foundation of all working relationships. Without it, the exchange of feedback becomes challenging.
If you have a strong relationship with your manager and they are receptive to feedback, you can deliver your opinions more straightforwardly. Otherwise, you can use the tactics listed below to navigate initiating the conversation.
Each manager has unique personality traits, strengths, and weaknesses. Understanding these traits as well as their goals can help you frame your feedback in a way that resonates with your manager.
Ask for Feedback First
In the best-case scenario, your manager proactively seeks feedback on their performance, creating an opportunity for you to share your insights. However, when this isn't the case, especially in a less-than-ideal relationship with your manager, initiating the conversation can be challenging.
One effective approach is to kickstart the dialogue by seeking feedback on your own performance. Communicate your specific areas of focus and request that your manager hold you accountable for your goals. This not only demonstrates your commitment to improvement but also paves the way for your manager to reciprocate by inquiring about areas where they can enhance their leadership.
To provide an example, you can watch this video where, at the 0:57 mark, an employee requests feedback to initiate a productive conversation about improving her presentation skills.
Be Honest and Specific
To prevent misinterpretation, it is crucial not to water down your feedback or use indirect language.
Maintain a professional and direct approach when delivering your feedback. Focus on presenting your perspective rather than prescribing what you would do if you were in their position.
Confidence and clarity in your delivery can be achieved through thorough preparation. Outline the issues you wish to address and provide specific examples and scenarios to support your points.
If you find it challenging to formulate your feedback, consider familiarizing yourself with essential qualities of great managers such as empathy, active listening, or inclusivity. These attributes may be areas where you believe your manager has room for improvement.
Choose an Appropriate Environment
While it may seem evident, it is essential to initiate a difficult conversation in a private setting, avoiding team meetings or open environments like the lunchroom. Creating a secure and confidential space is instrumental in fostering openness from both parties.
As you approach this conversation, reflect on your past experiences with performance reviews, considering what you wish had went differently, and apply those lessons here.
Give Positive Feedback
Employee recognition matters as 39% of employees report feeling unappreciated at work.
Consider sharing your acknowledgment of the efforts your boss has invested in both your team and your professional development. When managers see that their efforts are recognized and valued, it builds trust and rapport with colleagues, leading to a more open reception of constructive feedback.
Examples of Questions to Ask Your Manager
Asking questions is a popular negotiation tactic to avoid coming across as confrontational. It allows you to prompt feedback on various topics while gaining more information from your manager's perspective.
You will notice that there is clarification either before or after posing the question. Supporting your question with an explanation or specific scenario gives context to your manager to help them understand where you’re coming from.
Workload
"Are there opportunities to delegate certain tasks or projects to team members who might have more capacity at the moment? This could help us optimize our productivity."
If you’re being overwhelmed with your workload, this communicates your limits to your manager, ensuring that neither your individual performance nor the team’s productivity is jeopardized.
“I appreciate your confidence in my abilities by assigning me to this important project. It would be helpful to receive support in navigating the more complex tasks. How do you recommend I best structure my support?
In the case that you’re delegated a high-stakes project but are not receiving enough support on it, this is an effective prompt to seek more guidance from your manager.
“I appreciate being given the opportunity to work on this project, but I’d need flexibility on the timeline of my other tasks. I’ll be able to work on this only if we extend the deadline of X.”
This firmly communicates your boundaries to your manager and gives them insight into the workload you’re balancing.
Miscommunication
“Before I get started, can we discuss this project in more detail? I’m getting information from various sources and I wanted to check in with you to make sure that I’m on the right track.”
This signifies to your manager that you’re being overwhelmed by information from various stakeholders and need clarity on what the priorities are for the task you’re assigned.
"Are there specific strategies we can employ to facilitate better communication between teams or departments? I've observed that there have been disconnects in our cross-functional interactions."
This conveys your observations on how things are falling in the cracks between departments and initiates a way to solve it.
"Can we explore ways to ensure that all team members receive important updates promptly? It seems there have been instances where some team members were unaware of critical information."
This encourages clearer communication channels and strategies, bringing up an observation that your manager may not have noticed.
Expectations
“Do you feel that my current performance aligns with the expectations you have for my role and responsibilities?”
This indicates to your manager that they are not providing feedback to you frequently enough for you to understand whether you’re performing on par with expectations.
“From this meeting, it seems like you want me to focus on X, but I had thought Y was our priority from our previous conversations. Can we go over your expectations so I am clear on what to deliver?”
At times you may feel like you’re delivering exactly what was asked for, only to find out that your boss expected something completely different. This prompt is best used to clarify expectations and ensure that you and your manager are on the same page so there are no unexpected surprises.
“I've greatly appreciated the opportunities you've provided and your valuable mentorship. I'm eager to challenge myself and contribute more to the success of the business. What changes can I make to take my role to the next level?”
In the case that you feel stagnant in your career, you can express your desire to receive your manager’s support in your career progression.
Why Employees Are Afraid to Speak Up
There's a notable element of risk associated with employees providing feedback to their superiors, leading many individuals to default to silence as a safer option.
In an interview of 200 individuals from various levels and roles within a company, a common trend emerged: many individuals hesitated to provide their input to their superiors due to concerns that their bosses might react unfavorably to criticism of the projects they owned.
What's intriguing is that this organization had established formal procedures, including a dedicated reporting channel and a structured process for employees to raise concerns, actively encouraging them to voice their thoughts on various issues.
However, despite these mechanisms, it was revealed that half of the surveyed employees didn't perceive their work environment as safe for open expression and to challenge traditional practices.
This finding underscores that promoting employee feedback is not solely about implementing formal systems, it's equally about nurturing a workplace culture that fosters psychological safety.
The Role of DEI in Workplace Communication
Difficult conversations are where DEI plays a crucial role in creating an inclusive culture that actively supports upward feedback.
DEI initiatives serve multiple purposes. First, they foster a diverse workforce, bringing in a wide array of perspectives and insights, which, in turn, encourages more comprehensive and constructive feedback.
Research by McKinsey, has demonstrated the positive impact of diversity on performance. Companies with over 30% representation of women in executive roles tend to outperform those with less diversity.
Moreover, DEI efforts contribute to the establishment of trust and creating an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns.
By offering training to address issues like microaggressions and workplace discrimination or providing support employee resource groups, underrepresented employees will feel empowered to voice their ideas for improvement.
The pivotal factor is the development of diverse and inclusive leaders who take the initiative to prioritize DEI in the workplace and hold themselves accountable for the results.
Collectively, these factors contribute to an environment where upward feedback is not only encouraged but also highly valued and effectively utilized for continuous improvement.
Additional Resources for Manager Feedback
While upward feedback can be a more nuanced practice in the workplace that can be uncomfortable for employees, it is necessary for leaders to gain insight on their biases and ways for improvement.
Methods like evaluating your unique situation and structuring your feedback through the use of questions can be valuable tools for delivering effective feedback to your manager.
Nonetheless, even with the right tools in place, the determining factor is whether the work environment cultivates a culture that provides employees with the psychological safety they require to express their thoughts to their superiors.
This ultimately depends on the establishment of an inclusive and diverse workplace through the implementation of DEI initiatives and the active advocacy of such values by the leadership.
📚If you want to consult more resources before initiating this difficult conversation with your manager, here are books to learn more about perfecting the art of upward feedback: