#Feedback Card

Most people long for feedback. It aligns our self-image with others' perceptions and can reassure us that we excel at something or highlight areas for improvement. Yet, many teams hold back on giving feedback. However, it’s feedback - both positive and critical - that helps us grow. By consistently using the feedback card, it becomes an essential tool for individual development.

n most teams and departments, there are individuals who are closer to each other and others who are more distant. The feedback card is an excellent way to connect people who might not otherwise engage with one another. We find that in most teams, the feedback card is initially given to those who are "particularly close." This comes with minimal risk – it's a "safe bet." However, after a few months, the "peer group" has been exhausted, and team members find themselves needing to seek feedback from those who are more distant. And THAT is a good moment. This is where inconsistencies and misunderstandings can be addressed in a light-hearted and appreciative manner, potentially resolving issues that would otherwise remain unspoken. Thus, the feedback card surprisingly also serves as a team development tool.

The feedback card is a physical or digital card that allows individuals to regularly solicit feedback from people of their choice. The other person, the feedback giver, receives the card and writes down a few key points over the next few days. Afterwards, both meet informally, for example, over a coffee, to discuss the feedback. The feedback card includes guidelines for both the feedback giver and the feedback recipient, which the team develops in advance. Importantly, both giving and receiving feedback are voluntary.