Conscious criticism that can help us grow is always valuable feedback; that is why it's vitally important to regularly request this type of insight before your performance review.

People want feedback for their careers but may have trouble asking for it effectively. With these tips in hand, obtaining professional feedback should become much simpler.

1. Set the Stage

If your manager asks for feedback on your performance, that could mean they wish to enhance it. Constructive criticism is integral to professional growth and helping align individual goals with larger organizational objectives.

Unfortunately, many people dread giving and receiving feedback. Yet avoiding this conversation only leads to more frustration and less-than-satisfactory work results. Luckily, there are ways that can make giving and receiving feedback easier and more helpful for everyone involved in the process.

Set the stage by outlining which aspects of your performance you would like feedback on. This will allow for an efficient discussion and ensure your manager is equipped to give an insightful critique.

Second, set up the meeting. If possible, request to meet separately from other meetings that have specific agendas; this allows your manager to give their undivided attention and more likely take the feedback seriously. Alternatively, ask for feedback during one-on-one catch-up meetings or project reviews - providing context will also help them decide how they'll approach this discussion.

2. Be Specific

Most managers dislike giving feedback because it takes up too much of their time, while they themselves struggle with taking it in. However, that doesn't mean your manager doesn't care about you and your career advancement; they just may not know how best to support you until it is made clear which areas need improvement in your work.

Prep early and you'll make this easier: think back on what they said during past performance discussions or projects and formulate questions based on those insights. Also make sure that the request comes at an appropriate time: some feedback requests might work better being addressed during scheduled meetings such as weekly one-on-ones.

As important as receiving feedback is, taking action on it is even more critical. Implementing insights provided by your manager shows them you value their opinion and take it seriously; doing this also fosters strong working relationships and positions you for future success in both roles and careers.

3. Ask for Feedback in Context

Managers need to regularly provide and receive feedback in order to conduct timely, accurate performance reviews and ensure you both agree on expectations for performance reviews.

Your manager may need to provide feedback without engaging in a formal performance review process, particularly if it relates to specific activities like meetings or presentations. Email can often suffice as an effective method of doing so.

Successfully soliciting feedback via email requires preparation. Take some time to reflect on which areas you would like feedback for; consider both your strengths and any areas in need of improvement, before crafting your request in a manner suitable to the circumstances.

Be mindful that feedback comes from someone's perception. No matter whether it is valid or invalid, respect their viewpoint as it's still their opinion and treat it accordingly.

4. Ask Questions

Seeking feedback from your manager is a powerful way to demonstrate humility and an eagerness to learn, yet the true test of how open you are to constructive criticism lies in how you react to it.

Managers are busy people and can find it hard to make time to provide feedback on your work, but you can take proactive steps to make this easier for them by setting an exact date, time, and asking in an understandable manner. Select specific items for feedback.

Preceding negative feedback with two acknowledgements will help your manager accept and process it more easily, according to research conducted by GreatPlaceToWork. This strategy has proven its worth through numerous studies conducted.

Before approaching your manager for feedback, it's essential that they have plenty of notice so they have time to review your work and prepare their thoughts without feeling forced or awkward when asked for their thoughts.

5. Follow Up

Managers can either be your greatest allies in the workplace or your greatest obstacle to advancement. Your ability to accept criticism constructively and use it to improve performance can make or break the relationship you have with them; that is why it is crucial that you learn how to ask for and receive feedback effectively from them.

One way to achieve this is to incorporate feedback sessions into regular 1:1 meetings with them or schedule a separate meeting dedicated solely for this purpose. The aim is to give your manager a consistent opportunity to provide you with constructive criticism on your work.

Managers may feel intimidated by giving critical feedback to their direct reports, particularly if it's their first time doing it. By setting their minds at ease and being clear about your expectations of them, more of them may offer support - this will benefit both of you as your career evolves while simultaneously building and maintaining healthy professional relationships in the future.