Q&AI: Championing Effective Feedback

Adapted from https://www.linkedin.com/advice/1/heres-how-you-can-navigate-common-challenges-kesge 

More about our Q&AI series: https://www.productteacher.com/articles/new-series-q-ai 

Navigating how to effectively give and receive feedback is crucial for product managers, as it enhances team collaboration and drives product success. After all, constructive feedback fosters growth, innovation, and continuous improvement within teams.

In this guide, we'll break down strategies for providing and accepting feedback, equipping you with the skills to create a culture of openness and trust.

LinkedIn’s question on empathetic feedback

When giving feedback, put yourself in the shoes of the recipient. Understand that behind every product decision there's a rationale that might not be immediately apparent.

Approach feedback sessions with empathy, focusing on the situation and behavior rather than personal attributes. This helps create a safe environment where team members feel respected and are more receptive to constructive criticism.

Remember, your goal is to encourage growth and learning, not to assign blame or diminish morale.

Clement, what are your thoughts here?

Clement’s response on empathetic feedback

I don’t love this framing, because it implies the feedback receiver has done something wrong.

They haven’t necessarily messed up! The point of feedback is to unlock growth, which means amplifying the existing strengths that others already possess.

Instead, I’ve found the most effective dynamic is to convert feedback into collaborative “solution discovery” meetings.

As the “feedback giver”, I begin by raising a challenge for us, where both of us have a part to play. Then, I invite them to share their views on how we might tackle the issue, with the expectation that I will need to change my behavior as well.

I’ve personally found that I’ve grown the most when my “feedback giver” crafts a joint challenge for us both to overcome together!

By making this exchange a core part of our feedback culture, we transform potentially tense meetings into mutual discoveries, which promotes growth and innovation.

The point isn’t that a single person needs to course-correct. The point is that we’re co-navigating the path forward together!

LinkedIn’s question on clear feedback

Clarity is paramount when delivering feedback. Vague comments can lead to confusion and misinterpretation. Be specific about what needs improvement and why it matters.

For instance, instead of saying "the user interface isn't good," explain how certain elements may not meet user expectations or align with usability best practices.

This specificity not only aids in understanding but also provides clear direction for actionable steps towards enhancement.

Clement, what are your thoughts here?

Clement’s response on clear feedback

While clarity & specificity are valuable, the “how” and “when” are often overlooked!

Try to provide feedback quickly and informally. Identify both areas of current strength & areas of potential growth. 

Treat it less like a formal review and more like a quick sync that helps your teammates pivot and adapt swiftly, enhancing team agility and growth.

In other words, you want to shift the reaction from “uh oh, I’ve screwed up” to “ah yup, thanks for the reminder.”

I’ve seen too many instances where folks craft deeply-specific messages that feel like teardowns; creating something that “heavy” usually backfires.

Remember, product management is about shipping quickly and iterating swiftly - and that applies to feedback, too!

LinkedIn’s question on two-way communication

Feedback should be a two-way conversation, not a monologue.

Encourage the recipient to share their perspective and engage in a dialogue. This exchange can unveil new insights and foster mutual understanding.

By promoting an open communication culture, you'll not only refine your product but also empower your team, making them feel valued and involved in the product's evolution.

Clement, what are your thoughts here?

Clement’s response on two-way communication

When tackling feedback, start from this mental model: “I’m missing context, and I don’t know what context I’m missing. I need to know the context of the other person so that we can build something fantastic together.”

Feedback as dialogue not only clarifies expectations, but also democratizes the decision-making process for our products & processes!

By actively inviting teammates to share their views, we uncover gaps in our understanding and  catalyze collective buy-in.

This conversational approach transforms feedback from a directive to a collaborative exploration, which tends to lead to more innovative & effective solutions.

LinkedIn’s question on being proactive

As a product manager, actively seeking feedback on your own performance and decisions is just as important as giving it.

Requesting input from your team, stakeholders, and users shows that you value their opinions and are committed to continuous improvement.

This can also set a precedent for openness and encourage others to seek out feedback proactively, creating a culture of continuous learning.

Clement, what are your thoughts here?

Clement’s response on being proactive

The framing matters here.

I’ve learned from experience that people tend to shy away from “criticizing” others. When I’ve asked others the question “how can I improve?”, I typically wind up with silence or with praise - which isn’t what I wanted!

The problem: “how can I improve” feels like a loaded question. People don’t want to harm their relationship with you.

Instead of asking it this way, here’s a more subtle way to get feedback. Ask “what could we do differently as a team to get more effective results?”

After all, as a PM, the team’s way of working is your responsibility.

And, by shifting focus to team processes rather than on your individual performance, people feel more comfortable identifying gaps and surfacing grievances!

LinkedIn’s question on handling criticism

Receiving feedback, especially criticism, can be challenging. It's important to process criticism constructively, separating your personal feelings from professional development.

Listen carefully, ask for examples if needed, and reflect on how this feedback can lead to better outcomes. Don't rush to defend yourself; instead, use criticism as a stepping stone for growth.

Clement, what are your thoughts here?

Clement’s response on handling criticism

I don’t think this advice is actionable. Humans aren’t robots, and saying “you should separate your feelings” doesn’t really help with figuring out the “how” for managing our own emotions.

Let’s take a step back. Inevitably, we’re going to run into situations where someone gives us valuable feedback, but the feedback is positioned in a way that hurts our feelings.

So, we need to design with this inevitability in mind!

When I receive criticism, I make a quick mental note to schedule a 10-minute “venting” session on my own calendar, where I can work through my negative emotions and process my feelings.

And, now that I know I have time to process my feelings later, this frees up my mental power to engage dispassionately with the criticism.

LinkedIn’s question on driving change

Once you’ve received feedback on your behavior and your performance as a product manager, that feedback should lead to action. After gathering insights, prioritize and implement changes that will have the most significant impact on your team’s ability to perform.

Monitor the outcomes of these changes and continue to iterate. This demonstrates to your team and stakeholders that their feedback is valuable and has a tangible effect on your behavior and on the team’s learning curve.

Clement, what are your thoughts here?

Clement’s response on driving change

Feedback can be addressed on multiple time horizons! Don’t forget to assess short-term, medium-term, and long-term actions.

Say that a PM received the feedback “we aren’t making enough data-informed decisions.”

Start with quick actions to “stem the bleeding.” For example, we could add a new section to product specs to ask “what data did we use for this spec?” This approach demonstrates responsiveness and enables progress.

For medium-term actions, focus on sustainable process changes. For example, I might recommend regularly sending customer surveys or doing a weekly team review of metrics.

And, for long-term actions, we might need to bring in additional tooling, e.g. pushing for low-code data visualization platforms to help everyone in the org leverage data more effectively.

This tiered approach not only stabilizes the immediate situation, but also seeds growth for future resilience and innovation!

Clement’s other thoughts

Feedback sessions are prime opportunities for reinforcing team values and culture. They should embody the principles we advocate, such as transparency, accountability, and continuous learning.

By modeling these values in feedback interactions, we cultivate a team atmosphere that mirrors these ideals, making every feedback session a reinforcement of our team's core ethos. Our goal shouldn’t be to improve individual performance; instead, our goal is to build a robust, cohesive team that excels together.

Feedback shouldn’t be a tool for correction. Instead, it should be a platform for construction - stronger teams, better products, and ultimately a more vibrant company culture!

I've found that leveraging quick, regular feedback sessions (akin to agile sprint reviews) creates a rhythm that normalizes feedback. This regularity diminishes the stigma often attached to giving and receiving feedback, transforming what can be a daunting process into just another part of our week.

And, product managers are team leaders! When we visibly seek and act on feedback, we set a powerful precedent. By demonstrating vulnerability and underscoring the value placed on continuous improvement, we signal to the team that we are all champions of professional development and personal growth.