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In some ways, feedback is a little like networking. We all know it’s good and necessary, but most people feel somewhat awkward about it. Indeed, as the workplace becomes increasingly diverse, some care is needed, as norms and expectations can vary wildly.
Overall, most employees recognise the benefits of frank and honest feedback. For instance, in a 2019 survey by Zenger Folkman, 94 percent of 2,700 respondents said they believed feedback allowed them to improve when done right.
Problems can arise when feedback collides with a ubiquitous trend in business: diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Bolstered by the Black Lives Matter and #MeToo movements, DEI is among the top priorities of organisations today. At first glance, DEI does seem compatible with a culture of honest feedback. When properly harnessed, diverse voices can give firms an edge in an ever more complex world.
The challenge is that diversity often makes sharing feedback more complicated. Feedback delivered poorly – in the eyes of the recipient – can backfire. It can promote bad feelings and defensiveness, not to mention rupture relationships. For people to receive criticism well, they must first feel safe with the person providing it.
Feedback triggers alarm bells in the brain
I ran an experiment with more than 3,000 executives who were my students at INSEAD. Presented with a hypothetical situation, 90 percent of them claimed that they would immediately give clear feedback to a colleague who had made mistakes during a sales presentation.
This result was consistent across industries, genders, cultural backgrounds and job levels. Surprised, I began asking a follow-up question: “What about your teammates? Would they...