Most feedback is not meaningful. It is either too little or too much.
Too little: Lack of feedback can be worse than too much.
Too much: Feedback overload can lead to a lack of engagement.
The best feedback is just enough.
How to Create Meaningful Feedback
The best way to create meaningful feedback is to give it in small doses, with regularity. This will create a rhythm of feedback that will be welcomed by your team.
Here are some ways you can create meaningful feedback:
Give feedback after every meeting. The best time to give feedback is after every meeting. This is the time when your team is still together and the conversation is fresh in their minds. This also gives you a chance to reinforce the main points of the meeting and give any final thoughts. This will also help you get your team’s buy-in on decisions you make as a leader. After every meeting, ask yourself, “What did I do well? What could I have done better?” Then write down your answers on a sticky note and post them on your monitor or desk for everyone to see.
Give feedback after every project or task. When you are working on a project or task, give your team members regular feedback on the progress they are making and the work they are producing. Regularly check in with them on how they feel about the project, how they feel about their role in the project, and how they feel about their contribution to the overall project. This will help them feel more engaged with their work and more connected to the project as a whole.
Give feedback during 1:1s and team meetings. During 1:1s and team meetings, ask your team members what they think went well over the last week, what they think could have gone better over the last week and how you can improve.