Getting useful feedback from tech people it’s not easy.
As a Tech Lead, it’s 10x harder.
But with these strategies, it’s easier than ever to get useful feedback from your team:
How to ask for feedback that you can actually use 😊
🎯 Get clarity on what you want feedback on and tell them
What area is important to you?
What area do you feel you are struggling with?
What's something you feel you're doing well?
What is your focus right now?
What is your next goal regarding growth?
Once you have your topic you can use the scaling strategy for each topic
On a scale of 1->10, how good do you think I am at <skill>?
What do you think I am missing to get to 10?
👀 Or identify blindspots by asking them:
What is one thing you think I should be focusing on right now?
What is one thing I can do to better support you?
What is one thing that I should start doing as a Tech Lead?
What is one thing I can do to better support the team?
🟢 Don't forget about the positive:
What is one thing I should continue doing?
What do you think is my biggest strength?
What do you think is my biggest strength as a Tech Lead?
👥 Pick the right people
People who will act as cheerleaders and people who will act as challengers (make sure to have at least one of each)
team members
leadership team
support roles: sponsor, mentor ...
⏳Give them time to prepare
Give them a least a day to prepare feedback for you
🗓️Schedule the feedback time in their calendar
Book 30 minutes in their calendar
Add a note/description to the invite
explain the reason for booking
set expectations
make clear what you want to get feedback on
give them a way out
Example:
"Part of my Performance Review process I have to collect feedback from 5 people and I would appreciate your input.
These are the 3 topics I would like to get feedback on: ...
Please let me know if this works for you.
Thank you,
..."
😟 "I cannot get my team to give me constructive feedback"
Here are some things to try:
😣Display vulnerability
This is a topic where I know I have to improve…
Do you have ideas on what I should start/stop doing to get better at this?
❓🤨 Ask specific questions
What is 1 thing I should improve at?
What is one thing you think I should be focusing on right now that I am not?
What is one thing I can do to better support you?
What is one thing that I should start doing as a Tech Lead?
What is one thing I can do to better support the team?
📝 Pick from the list
Share with them the list of expectations for your role
Ask them to pick 3 things you are good at and 3 things you should work on
🔖 Collect constructive feedback anonymously - use a form
🗣 Give constructive feedback to them first
This makes it easier for them to give you constructive feedback
😬 Pick a situation you know you handled badly and ask:
What do you think about the way I handled that situation?
What could have I done differently?
Don’t call it feedback
After a tough conversation -> How do you feel this conversation went?
What do you think about my presentation?
👂🏻Really Listen
➡ Thank people for taking the time to give you the feedback
➡ Whatever you are hearing → VALIDATE IT
Tell them what you understood using your own words: "If I understood correctly this is what you mean: "
➡ Positive feedback that it’s not new?
Are they telling you something you already know you are good at?
Don't skip through it → dig into it:
Why do you think it is important to keep doing this?
How does me doing <action> help you / help the team?
➡ You don't like what you hear?
Don't react / Don't explain / Don't defend yourself!
Instead BE CURIOUS and ask clarifying questions:
Please tell me more about this
It would be useful for me if you would give me an example of this behaviour
Remember: you don't have to agree with all the feedback but it would be valuable for you to dig into why there might be that discrepancy
➡ Not sure how to react to a piece of feedback?
Mention you need some time to think about that and that you will come back to them
Don't interrupt them! → write down your question for when they finish
➡ Thank people for the feedback
📝Document it
Take detailed notes on what's been said
You might want to write them down on paper instead of typing while they are talking
write down your questions for them too - so you don't have to interrupt them
Create a Note: My feedback
move your written notes online to be able to access them at any point
make sure it has dates and people: WHEN and WHO
keep this somewhere easy to access to be able to reflect on it
➡️What to do with the collected feedback
🤨 Inspect it
What is useful?
What is new?
What is repeated?
What can you directly apply? (you don't have to act on everything)
How valuable is it to you?
✅ Apply it / Correct it
Continue doing what works
Address it → make a plan to change the behaviours you want to change
Reach out for support if you don't know what to do differently
🔁 Follow up / Review it over time
What is your progress on your growth/change plan?
Document what you plan to do
Schedule a follow-up to check how you're progressing (a great way to create accountability for yourself)
Until next time
➡ In two weeks will follow up with Feedbacking as a Tech Lead Guide - Part 2: Giving useful feedback
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Thank you so much for being here! ☀️
Remember: you are not alone on this journey 😊
Until next time,
Ane
Thanks for highlighting these ideas, Anemari!
I think that engineers, not just leaders, can benefit from the points you've mentioned.
I think 1. listening, 2. writing down the feedback, and 3. acting on it are all great ways to grow quickly.
How others see you can help make a really good plan for personal growth.
Great one Anemari,
I used the question "what is one thing I could do differently to help you be more successful" very often in 1to1s, and it lead to a lot of good conversations!
One other thing I've seen working well: Once you've listened and decided to take action on a feedback, mention that explicitly with the person whenever it's relevant. It'll provide positive reinforcement as they'll get a confirmation that you're not only listening to them but also taking actions!