How can feedback improve your communication skills?
Feedback is a vital tool for improving your communication skills, especially in the consulting field. Whether you are giving or receiving feedback, you can use it to enhance your clarity, effectiveness, and rapport with your clients and colleagues. In this article, we will explore how feedback can help you achieve these goals and how to apply some best practices for giving and receiving feedback.
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𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐣 𝐊𝐡𝐮𝐛𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐢 (𝐌𝐊)💡𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗩𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 | Stanford STP | ISB | IIM | Food Processing | Sales & Marketing | Business…
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Erdem Mümtaz Hacıpaşaoğlu, CIPMCo-Founder & CCO @ Clemta | Forbes 30 Under 30 | Top Voice
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Harsh GanatraLinkedIn Top Consulting Voice I Investor I A CA with a vision to Spread Financial Literacy and Assist Clients with…
One of the main benefits of feedback is that it can help you communicate your ideas and insights more clearly. By getting feedback from your audience, you can check if they understood your message, if they have any questions or concerns, and if they agree or disagree with your recommendations. This way, you can avoid misunderstandings, confusion, and conflicts that can undermine your credibility and trust. To get feedback for clarity, you can use techniques such as asking open-ended questions, summarizing key points, and paraphrasing responses.
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“FEED it properly in your mind…Before you revert BACK” I mean, Mindfully nourish your thoughts before responding—Prioritize thoughtfulness before you reply. Employ the AVRA approach—Ask, Verify, Reaffirm, Adjust—when addressing crucial matters. This strategic method ensures that you thoroughly understand the context and nuances before formulating your response. Nurture this MANTRA as a key to success, where each step contributes to thoughtful and effective communication.
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Mi experiencia me dice que cuando haces una presentación y hay preguntas es que has sabido comunicarte bien con tu audiencia. Cuando hay silencio, o el tema aburre o no te han seguido. Si preguntas abiertamente por las dudas y no hay respuesta, repreguntar de forma sutil para confirmar que te siguen hasta ese punto o de nuevo tu tema no despierta interés. También puedes optar tu por preguntar para captar la atención de tus "invitados".
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Feedback kann dazu beitragen, Missverständnisse zu vermeiden und sicherzustellen, dass die Botschaften klar und präzise sind. Wenn ich beispielsweise Präsentationen vorbereite, bitte ich Kollegen und Vorgesetzte regelmäßig um Feedback zur Verständlichkeit meiner Botschaften. Dies hilft, sicherzustellen, dass meine kommunikativen Absichten klar und zielgruppenorientiert übermittelt werden.
Another benefit of feedback is that it can help you communicate your value and impact more effectively. By giving feedback to yourself and others, you can assess your performance, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and set goals for improvement. This way, you can demonstrate your professionalism, competence, and commitment to your clients and colleagues. To give feedback for effectiveness, you can use techniques such as providing specific examples, focusing on behavior rather than personality, and using the sandwich method (positive-negative-positive).
A third benefit of feedback is that it can help you communicate your empathy and respect more authentically. By receiving feedback from others, you can learn how they perceive you, how they feel about your communication style, and how they respond to your feedback. This way, you can adjust your tone, body language, and listening skills to suit different situations and preferences. To receive feedback for rapport, you can use techniques such as expressing appreciation, acknowledging emotions, and asking for suggestions.
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I make it a practice to seek feedback from clients once I've delivered a product or service. It can be related to dining in an upscale restaurant where Manager delicately asks: 'Sir/Mam, how’s the food?' People, influenced by the hospitality, tend to respond in a positive tone even if there are minor flaws. On the flip side, some clients intentionally highlight issues, regardless of their magnitude. In either scenario, taking initiative to address concerns & offer solutions presents a valuable opportunity to establish a deeper connect. I've observed, this approach transforms CLIENTS into FRIENDS. The key lies in turning potential challenges into opportunities to build lasting rapport. Try it; the results can be remarkable!
To maximize the benefits of feedback, you should adhere to best practices that guarantee its quality, relevance, and timeliness. Give and receive feedback regularly and consistently, as recent and frequent observations and interactions are more useful. Furthermore, feedback should be given and received constructively and respectfully, without criticism or blame. Additionally, feedback should be delivered and received with courtesy and tact, avoiding personal attacks or defensiveness. Lastly, feedback should be seen as an opportunity to learn and grow with actionable steps and support to help the recipient achieve their communication goals.
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Klare Fragen zu stellen, wie "Wie könnte meine Kommunikation klarer sein?" oder "Welche Aspekte könnten effektiver gestaltet werden?" erleichtert es den Beteiligten, konkrete und hilfreiche Rückmeldungen zu geben. Zudem ist es wichtig, regelmäßig Feedback einzuholen, um kontinuierliche Verbesserungen zu ermöglichen.
To illustrate how feedback can improve your communication skills, let's look at an example of a consulting project where feedback played a key role. Suppose you are working on a strategy for a client who wants to increase their market share in a competitive industry. You have conducted a thorough analysis and developed a comprehensive plan that outlines the objectives, actions, and outcomes of the project. You are ready to present your findings and recommendations to the client in a meeting.
Before the meeting, you ask a colleague to review your presentation and give you feedback on your clarity, effectiveness, and rapport. Your colleague gives you some positive feedback on your data visualization, your logical structure, and your enthusiasm. They also give you some constructive feedback on your language, your delivery, and your audience engagement. They suggest that you use simpler and more concise words, that you speak slower and more confidently, and that you ask more questions and solicit more feedback from the client.
You thank your colleague for their feedback and apply their suggestions to your presentation. You also prepare some questions and feedback prompts to use during the meeting. You practice your presentation several times and ask for more feedback from your colleague until you feel confident and ready.
During the meeting, you deliver your presentation and ask for feedback from the client on your clarity, effectiveness, and rapport. The client gives you some positive feedback on your analysis, your plan, and your professionalism. They also give you some constructive feedback on your assumptions, your risks, and your communication style. They ask that you clarify some of the assumptions behind your projections, that you address some of the potential risks and challenges of the plan, and that you adapt your communication style to different stakeholders and situations.
You appreciate the client's feedback and respond to their questions and concerns. You also ask for their suggestions on how to improve your communication skills and how to collaborate more effectively with them. You summarize the main points of the presentation and the feedback, and you agree on the next steps and the timeline of the project.
After the meeting, you reflect on the feedback you received from your colleague and the client, and you evaluate your communication skills. You identify what you did well and what you need to work on. You also set some specific and measurable goals for improving your communication skills and seek more feedback and support from your colleague and the client.
By using feedback throughout the project, you were able to improve your communication skills in terms of clarity, effectiveness, and rapport. You were also able to establish a trusting and productive relationship with your client and deliver a high-quality consulting service.
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Feedback is a powerful tool for improving communication skills, as illustrated in the consulting project scenario. Positive and constructive feedback from both a colleague and the client provided insights into areas of strength and improvement. It led to enhanced clarity, confidence, and engagement in the presentation, highlighting the importance of tailoring communication to the audience. Regular feedback not only refined communication skills but also fostered a productive, trusting relationship with the client, demonstrating its value in professional growth.
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In der Praxis setze ich regelmäßig Feedback-Mechanismen ein, sei es durch formelle Feedbackgespräche mit meinem Team oder informelle Diskussionen nach Kundenpräsentationen. Der Fokus liegt darauf, nicht nur auf das Endprodukt zu schauen, sondern auch den gesamten Kommunikationsprozess zu bewerten. Dies ermöglicht mir, schnell auf Schwächen zu reagieren und meine Herangehensweise zu optimieren.
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Every professional seeks continuous improvement. For this, we have to stay in touch and consider factors beyond direct feedback like - - What's happening in the economy and our markets - Any updates from the Regulators' end - Changing clients' needs and requirements would require a different approach - Additionally, reflecting on ourselves and keep improving
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