How to Provide Effective Peer-to-Peer Feedback

Delivering feedback can be tricky, but peer-to-peer feedback can be even more difficult, if done ineffectively problems can continue to grow instead of disappearing. So let's look at some differences between ineffective and effective peer-to-peer feedback.

Ineffective feedback is general and vague. It doesn't provide useful information on what isn't working. Ineffective feedback comes across as judgmental or an attack. It is unnecessarily personal and it's based on subjective opinions rather than on objective behaviors and their impact. It stirs the pot and damages relationships on teams. Even saying a simple thank you isn't overly helpful because the person you are thanking may be wondering what specifically you are referencing. The thank you may feel good, but may not allow the individual to repeat good performance.

Effective feedback is specific and timely. It is given with the intent to help and support others. It is focused on behaviors that are positive or that fall short of what is expected. Effective feedback is descriptive without being judgmental, providing information others can use to improve. We should really amp up our feedback. A simple thank you amped up becomes, "Hey, I noticed you cleaned up the shop floor after that last run of product. You and I both want to go home safely. Thank you for doing that." When peers are both candid and caring in providing ongoing feedback in a skilled way, the results can be phenomenal. Try helping your team members learn to do this by setting the example yourself.