Here's how you can actively listen and respond to feedback from your colleagues.

The power of true listening is unmatched in connecting with the audience! Every conversation should be treated unique and different from the rest no matter how suspiciously familiar. This will absolutely help with lowering the customer’s guard in a sales scenario as most can easily distinguish selling verses addressing needs. It also helps greatly with building longer term relationships in both personal and professional settings as everyone likes and greatly values being heard!

Active listening is a key part of receiving feedback effectively. Here are some tips for actively listening and responding to feedback from colleagues: 1- Be Present by remove distractions, maintain eye contact, and lean in slightly. 2- Listen to Understand by see feedback from the person's perspective. 3- Use Verbal and Non-Verbal Cues by Nod, say "yes," and phrases like "that's a good point." 4- Ask Clarifying Questions by ask for more details or specific examples if needed. 5- Acknowledge and Thank Them by thank the person for providing feedback. 6- Respond Thoughtfully by process feedback and consider how to address it.

During a critical project review at GlobalStart, my colleague offered feedback on our new service strategy. I set aside my laptop and phone, maintaining eye contact and nodding to show I was engaged. As she detailed her concerns, I resisted the urge to interrupt or mentally draft my response. Instead, I focused entirely on her words. After she finished, I thanked her for her insights and asked lots of clarifying questions. This approach not only demonstrated my respect for her perspective but also fostered a sense of trust and collaboration, ultimately leading to a more refined and successful strategy.

- Improve your attention span and resist the urge to frame your response while you are listening to others. Typically it happens when you get the gist and know where the conversation is heading, but resist the urge to conclude or rush to conclusions which may be half baked - Listen so you could talk better, when needed. - Respect the speaker and his as well as your own time - Try to empathise with the speaker to better understand his point of view - Be patient while listening. If you are not inherently patient, consciously try to be !

Summarize and reflect back what you've heard to ensure clarity and demonstrate understanding. Phrases like, "What I'm hearing is..." can confirm that you've accurately grasped their feedback and are engaged in the conversation.

At GlobalStart, where we work with tech companies on business innovation and strategy, a colleague proposed a new marketing strategy during a team meeting. After listening attentively, I reflected back by saying, "So, if I understand correctly, you're suggesting we shift our focus to digital campaigns targeting Stage C startups because our current approach isn't engaging them effectively. Is that right?" My colleague nodded, confirming my summary. This reflection ensured we were on the same page and demonstrated that I valued their input. This practice not only clarified our discussion but also reinforced a collaborative atmosphere, ultimately leading to a well-aligned and successful strategy.

Process of listening gets completed when one absorbs what one has listened to and reflects. Reflection allows one to go to the next step, Really trying to build understanding on what was heard. Paraphrasing if required not only to reflect the understanding but also help build connect and confidence with the speaker. Reflection helps start two way communication

Agreed. Reflect back in the form of clarifying what you heard is important to avoid/minimize assumptions that are fueled by bias. It also validates how good your active listening skills are and allows you to get better. This is not the same as processing what you heard, allow yourself time to self reflect later once you confirmed you understood what the feedback was.

One thing I have learned is the importance of slowing down my responses. Often I will have initial thoughts fully formed and be ready to discuss, but in many ways I think the best approach is to take time to absorb the feedback, and use the immediate time after receiving feedback for reflection. When I do feel it is useful to reflect back, I seek to do so on a limited basis: ensuring that I understood key points, etc.

Be in the right headspace to ask questions - Assume good intent, give a generous read to everything that's said, channel your curiosity, then work on clarifying the feedback and the context it was said with.

I find it helpful to try not to assume anything about the situation or potential solutions. This keeps me focused on listening as well as asking questions to learn more.

Ask open-ended questions to dig deeper into their feedback. This shows genuine interest and helps you gain a better understanding of their perspective. It also encourages a more productive dialogue.

At GlobalStart, we're experts in business innovation and strategy. During a client strategy session, a colleague suggested a bold market entry proposal. To deepen our understanding, I posed a clarifying question: "Could you provide more insight into how this approach resonates with our client's target audience and their current market positioning?" My colleague eagerly expanded upon their idea, confirming my comprehension. This proactive approach to asking clarifying questions not only ensured precision and alignment within our team but also underscored our dedication to meticulous analysis. Fostering a culture of thorough examination, provide us with the opportunity to fortify client confidence, and craft a highly effective strategic plan.

Research your client, know what you are talking about both sides of the discussion. Make sure you ask open ended questions, many people will answer their own questions. You will learn what people really want (they may not truly know). Ensure you listen to the context and the pain points. Keep questions short allow pauses. Repeat back to make sure you have understood the answers given correctly.

Acknowledge feelings comes with your body language, words, and confirming that they are not alone. One of the most critical aspects I have found in speaking to my daughters or clients is, Do they want to be Heard, Helped, or Hugged? Often we don't know so our acknowledgment feels flat or not sincere to the person. More often than not, when I ask this up front, people will shift how they share and what they share knowing you are present with them and understand their needs.

When receiving feedback, listen attentively. For positive feedback, acknowledge it and consider how to maintain those successful behaviors. For negative feedback, assess whether it stems from emotional or professional dissatisfaction. If emotional, address the concerns empathetically. If professional, identify the root cause and implement both immediate fixes and long-term improvements to prevent recurrence.

Many times honest feedback is not polite, and polite feedback is not honest. I always seek to acknowledge the feelings (as well as effort) of someone offering feedback. I may not agree with them, but for many people having their feelings acknowledged respectfully is far more important than convincing someone.

A good outcome of good listening is connecting with feelings. Empathy is at the core of an excellent listener. Just today, I got this opportunity to be an Empathetic listener. It’s a wonderful feeling. The acknowledgment, response of the speaker, his experience and reflection thru his/ her eyes is great reward of what has transpired. That feeling of satisfaction, Confidence is the Real outcome

Often time is our best counselor. We often feel compelled to respond quickly when in reality time to absorb feedback is makes it more valuable in the long run. So sleep on it!

Share your perspective but don't solve the problem. I love open-ended questions such as "what would you do" or "how would you handle this?" A collaborative approach makes everyone feel better in the end and opens the door for future success.

Contrasting points of view are always healthy and offer different ways of looking at a situation. What's important, though, is how an alternative point of view is presented. Always be respectful and mindful of your colleague's perspective and maintain a work environment and culture that is open to sharing ideas.

After fully understanding their feedback, share your own perspective respectfully. Use "I" statements to express your thoughts and feelings without sounding defensive or dismissive.

Respond Constructively:** - **Be Honest**: Admit if there are areas where you need improvement. "I realize that I need to work on..." - **Share Your Perspective**: If you have a different view, share it respectfully. "I understand your point, but from my perspective..." - **Discuss Solutions**: Talk about how you plan to address the feedback. "Moving forward, I will..."

Belonginess is the biggest collaborative and respective feelings one can give to other. By involving team members while chalking down action plan for working on feedback gives team members a feeling of being counted, being respected and more importantly being part of the team in real sense when it needed most. Such cooperative approach will empower all individual for taking more ownership and decision making responsibility to the next level which in turn helps to set up practical and realistic targets. This is a great opportunity for team to collaborate on personal and professional relationship as well. Having holistic view covering entire bird eye view will help to work on all aspects.

Collaboratively develop a plan to address the feedback. Set clear, actionable steps and agree on a timeline. This shows commitment to improvement and fosters a sense of teamwork.

La planificación es el cierre de sacar en limpio las distintas ideas planteadas para ponerse de acuerdo en la toma de decisiones.

I firmly advocate for collaborative planning, as it cultivates a collective vision and a culture of accountability. The leader's role, akin to that of a facilitator, is paramount in steering discussions, ensuring the incorporation of diverse viewpoints, and transforming ideas into tangible strategies. By nurturing an inclusive atmosphere, the leader empowers team members to make meaningful contributions, thereby fueling innovation and strengthening commitment to shared objectives. This approach not only instills a sense of ownership but also unleashes the team's untapped potential, resulting in the development of more resilient strategies and the attainment of successful outcomes.

Collaborative planning is a key concept in Drucker's management philosophy. He argues that setting clear goals and working together to achieve them is crucial for organizational success. By involving team members in the planning process, executives empower their colleagues and ensure commitment to the agreed-upon actions.

You should get feedback from those who are known for thier unbiased and fair opinion. I've seen in toxic cultures that feedback get hijacked by those who are into organization politics to put down good people...sometimes it goes to the extent of getting rid of them. While theory is good, but the practice is not so great yet in most cases.

It’s all about maintaining trust in these relationships. If you receive feedback openly and are not defensive, people will be more likely to share their thoughts. Just remember that not all feedback is valid. However, you always learn something about yourself and the other person when you have these conversations. Make sure you also value truth tellers who have your best interests in mind. Those are people who will share your successes and failures with you.

My personal approach is to: 1) Pay Attention: When receiving feedback, give your full attention to the speaker. Use visual cues like nodding and maintaining eye contact to signal that you’re actively engaged in the conversation. 2) Withhold Judgment: Keep an open mind. Be receptive to new ideas and perspectives. 3) Reflect on what you’ve heard. Summarize the feedback to ensure you’ve understood it correctly. Ask clarifying questions to gain deeper insights and address any uncertainties. 4) After the speaker has shared their feedback, summarize it back to them. This demonstrates that you’ve actively listened and understood their message. 5) Use the feedback constructively. Consider how you can improve based on the insights provided.

Active listening is a skill that can be learned and improved with practice. When actively listening to feedback from colleagues, you can try these tips: -Prepare: Have a clear purpose, goal, and message for the feedback. -Focus: Remove distractions and focus on the speaker. -Show you're listening: Use open body language, facial expressions, and nod occasionally. Make eye contact. -Ask questions: Ask open-ended questions to clarify points. Don't interrupt the speaker, but wait until they've finished each point before asking. -Reflect: Paraphrase what you've heard to check your understanding. Summarize the main ideas. -Show empathy: Respect the receiver's feelings. -Respond: Acknowledge and reciprocate the feedback, and offer your support.

When you are sharing feedback, do not speak for others who are not a party to the conversation. For instance, don't say, "Everyone thinks you are...." or "Lots of people in the office feel that you do....." Speak for yourself, and do not involve others. The person you're speaking to doesn't need to feel ganged up on or the subject of gossip.