Ask HN: How should managers elicit honest feedback from their teams? I'm fairly new to managing developers, and I'd like to get feedback from my team on what I can improve. How do you elicit quality feedback from your team in a way that lets them be honest and open? Personally, I've always felt reluctant to give negative feedback, even with managers if felt were open to it and that I had good relationships with. Thanks! |
There are two main "settings" where I find it appropriate for an IC to be "candid" with management - first is with one:one meetings and the other is in "retrospective meetings" with the team.
It's probably important for the IC to feel comfortable giving honest feedback directly to a manager in a 1:1 but that's tough to talk to specifically online - one foundation for this is a "continuous improvement" culture where everyone is striving to do better over time. It could also help to simply ask ICs "what areas can be improved upon". Additionally the manager can ask their manager what items can be improved upon - though a different perspective.
Regular "retrospective meetings" where ICs can list things/events that went "good" or "bad" are a convenient opportunity to get feedback from multiple ICs at once and people may be on their best behavior while in a group.
Good luck! The above is modeled off my current place of work so hopefully there is some relevance with OP's model
1. One key way to encourage honest feedback is for managers to be absolutely adamant that there will be no retaliation / retribution for giving honest feedback in good faith - even if it's critical of the manager, upper executives, or even the whole dang company.
2. Honesty is a two way street. If a manager wants honest feedback from his/her direct reports, they must have a history of being honest with those reports in turn.
3. On a related note, the manager should, I believe, show some vulnerability and openness to criticism by - when necessary - calling attention to their own mistakes and goof-ups. Saying "I screwed up, I'm sorry, but I'll fix $WHATEVER. I'm constantly working on getting better just like everybody else." goes a long way IMO.
4. For a manager, saying "thank you" and "I'm sorry" is a very valuable thing. If the only time you interact with your reports is to criticize them or to give them orders, they are going to become defensive and you are not going to get honest feedback. At least not until their exit interview. And even then it's a "maybe".
5. Show some genuine concern for the people who report to you. In 1:1's ask questions like "What can I do to help you achieve your goals" and so forth. And make it honest, don't just go through the motions. If you can't bring yourself to have some real empathy / regard / concern for your people, get out of management.
We have 121s and retrospectives in place, so I'll focus on helping people to feel safe enough to give honest feedback/suggestions in those sessions.
I like the idea of framing the question differently, rather than asking "what can I do better", people may feel more comfortable answering "what areas can be improved upon" (we already use that question as a starting point for process changes in retrospectives, but asking it to ICs in 121s is something I can start doing).
"Elicit"[1]. I don't think you want "illicit"[2] feedback!