26. "The Culture of Giving Feedback"
- Bianca Blanch
- Aug 28, 2020
- 8 min read
Feedback. It can provoke anxiety, and feelings of judgement. But, feedback is a necessary part of our growth, whether personally or professionally. But the style in which feedback is given can dictate whether we ignore it or take it on board. This week I reflect on my experience of the feedback culture in academia versus startups.
My Experience of Feedback
My perception of receiving feedback has definitely been a long journey, and it is a journey I am still on. In my experience, feedback style and the culture of giving feedback cannot be separated from the industry you are in. For me, feedback sessions within and outside academia were completely different experiences. I didn't realise the value of feedback until I left academia and all my feedback-related anxiety behind.
Academia
Feedback in academia centres on the annual performance review.
A good performance review occurs with your manager where you both discuss your performance over the past year. It should be a collaborative conversation, where you can both discuss openly your contribution to the team, review your salary, discuss areas for improvement, and potential areas for your future professional development. It is also an opportunity to discuss the dynamic between yourself and other team members, and air any concerns you have. How open and honest you choose to be in the performance review depends on the relationship you have with your manager and the wider workplace culture.
In academia, the performance review may not deal with salary as (at all the university's I have worked at) you get an automatic pay increase on your yearly work anniversary, regardless of your performance. Maybe because of this, many academics treat a performance review as a bureaucratic process that generates paperwork that just needs to be done. This is a shame, as when a performance review is done seriously, they can promote improved communication, alleviate employee job-related stress/anxiety, allow the employee and employer to brainstorm about future professional development and let the employee know they are a valued team member.
So it is not surprising that my experience of performance reviews in academia was to treat it as a formality, that rarely produced any honest or constructive feedback. As a junior researcher, I was stressed that I was going to get a negative review, and as a consequence, lose my job. So I always breathed a sigh of relief when I made it through another review, still employed. I now look back at these performance reviews as missed opportunities. If I had not allowed my anxiety to take over, realise I would not lose my job and focused on what I enjoyed in research and what skills I wanted to develop, my manager may have also stepped up and it may have enhanced positive experiences in the research team.
However, when you are starting out, sometimes you just don't know what you don't know.
Startups
My experience of receiving feedback in startups is completely different.
Maybe it's because in startups there is generally no HR department, and limited HR processes are in place. Or maybe it's because startups move at a much quicker pace than in academia. Or, maybe it's due to the strong, forward-looking agile (Scrum) methodology utilised at many startups.
Whatever the reason, I found I received feedback more consistently in startups, it was always constructive, and focused on improving my skills. Feedback sessions were relaxed, often occurred in a coffee shop, without the completion of any forms. This greatly reduced my feedback-related anxiety, and now I welcome feedback and am curious as to how other's perceive me and how they think I can improve as an employee. I find it fascinating how my perception, and someone else's perception of a situation can be similar or different.
For example, in startups we frequently participated in 'retros' at the end of each fortnight, and after a big project. In a retro, each person on the team says what they think went well, what didn't go well and what could be done to make it better next time. This promotes a culture of open communication and constructive feedback as everyone in the team has a chance to contribute, and at the end we all brainstorm about new ways to avoid roadblocks in an upcoming project, or just in the next fortnight of work.
However, there is always a downside. Discussing salary in startups is difficult.
In academia, you automatically get a pay increase on your yearly work anniversary. In startups, it is much more difficult to get a pay increase. Firstly, you need to be your own advocate as to why you deserve a pay increase, it is not a given. The company may reply in a multitude of ways: they may say, yes; they may promise to increase your pay in the future we will increase your pay, but not right now; they may agree to review at some future date; they may refuse. Unless there is a HR department, you have no way of pushing for a pay increase, you are at their mercy unless you are willing to give them an ultimatum and seek other employment if they do not give you one.
The Lessons on Feedback Style
What is your ideal feedback style?
How do you feel when your manager gives you feedback? Or when you know you will have a feedback session/performance review?
My Experience: As a younger researcher, all I knew was the academic way of feedback, so I didn't even question whether it was right or not, it just was.
If the idea of a feedback session/performance review gives you a lot of anxiety, think about why you are anxious. I was anxious because I thought I would be fired. However, if I had spoken to HR about this anxiety it would have been alleviated, as there is a formal process that needs to occur for you to lose your job, you cannot be fired on the spot. Without that anxiety, my thoughts would have been clearer and by fully participating in the review I may have gotten more out of my career.
Discuss the feedback style with your manager
Few managers actually receive managerial training. Especially in academia, you become a manager when you are a senior academic which does not necessarily translate well. Science skills, and people skills are different.
What is the dynamic between yourself and your manager? How do they give you feedback? Do you feel confident having an open conversation with them to review the type and style of feedback they give? If so, try to have the conversation. If you have a lot of anxiety, tell them the basis of your fears and ask them if there is any reality to them, or if it is only in your head. Some manager's will welcome the feedback and chance to improve the dynamic, others will not like it.
Warning. If you choose this path, you will be quite vulnerable during the conversation about your fears. You are telling your work fears to your supervisor, who is the person who judges your work. Once you tell them your fears, they can never un-know it. Only you can choose if this path is right for you in your current situation. This conversation has the power to change your work experience so if you think it may help you, be brave and do it!
A good supervisor will alleviate your fears and help you work through your anxiety. A not-so-good supervisor may hold these beliefs against you, and look out for these short-comings.
Personally, I have had managers where I could have this conversation with them, and others where I would avoid getting vulnerable as it would have been observed as a weakness. Only you can choose if this is the right path for you, now.
Feedback sessions are consistent, not annual
In my experience, managers who are comfortable with feedback will give it to you consistently based on your performance, they will not wait for an annual review.
In this scenario if you do a good job, they will praise you at the time. If you make a mistake, they will also tell you at the time. Their feedback will be constructive so you can work on it, and they may even set up check ins so you can both review your improvement.
This style of feedback is consistent, and alleviates anxiety as you know how your supervisor perceives you, because they tell you. This is my preferred style of feedback, open, honest and timely, based on your performance.
Approach the conversation with a calm and curious tone
In order to try to change the dynamic with your supervisor, you need to approach it from a place of calm acceptance and curiosity.
Calm acceptance is necessary as the conversation cannot be about blame. What has happened is in the past, and to try to change it you need to wipe the slate clean and learn from past interactions. If the conversation starts getting emotional, angry or uncomfortably intense, stop the conversation and either revisit after you have both calmed down or leave it. Only you can decide what feels right for you with your current manager.
Curiousness is also required as you may need to ask some tough questions that you may not like the answers to. But by asking them you will know where you stand, and you can work forward from that place of knowledge, rather than acting from fear and no evidence.
Use 'I' statements in these conversations so as not to assign blame. Examples of these statements include:
'I get incredibly anxious when we have a performance review as I fear a negative review may lead me to lose my job.'
'I lose sleep knowing I will have a performance review as I know I make mistakes'
'I am anxious when we have feedback sessions. Could we have them more frequently so I can conquer the anxiety?
'I know performance reviews are required for my position, but I feel very stressed when they happen. Could we go to a coffee shop to do the review, as I find this environment more relaxing.'
Examples of tough questions to ask your supervisor:
Ask these questions in a non-combative manner, but only if you are ready to hear an honest answer and to act on the information. If you are not ready for the answer, don't ask the question.
'I am anxious that I will lose my job sometimes. How will you let me know if I am not performing well?'
'How am I performing?'
'What skills do I need to develop?'
Speak up
As a junior researcher, I thought feedback was mine to take on and never to give. I felt like I was the one who had to do all of the bending, to accomodate my manager's work style. However, if you are in a feedback session and disagree with their comments, ask for an example of when that behaviour or situation occurred. If you feel that it is an unfair interpretation/characterisation state why you think so. Try not to get emotional, instead approach it from a place of learning and ask what you could have done differently if you do not understand the problem with the behaviour/situation. This is the first step to having an open dialogue with your supervisor.
What is the feedback culture at your workplace? What feedback styles have you experienced? What is your preferred style? Have you asked your supervisor any tough questions? If so, how did it turn out? Let me know your experience by leaving a comment below or emailing me at AuthenticResearchExperiences@gmail.com
BB
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