Feedback That Inspires Growth
In January 2016, I became Vinted’s first customer support agent for their new Spanish market. This meant I’d soon find myself in situations I’ve never dealt with before.
Facing the unexpected has been thrilling. Wins were always celebrated. But so were failures, which were simply a signal that we needed to look for an alternative way to reach our goals. Feedback was what helped us readjust.
Innate creativity?
“You are either born creative or not” was what I kept hearing after repeatedly failing to create a great piece of art. I knew there was something special about people whose paintings or dance performances astonished everyone. Watching them made me feel jealous.
Still, I could never agree that only the exceptionally gifted are capable of great achievements. The one thing that all great achievers have in common is their growth-driven mindset. That same mindset that Vinted embraces and nurtures.
This was my main reason for becoming Vinted’s customer support agent. A company that supports personal and professional growth promised to help me become a Creator eventually. That’s an internal term for someone who is capable of independent work and has proficiency in a wide range of skills.
Getting to know what you don´t know
The starting point was to become aware of where I already was.
Have you ever thought about how your team lead and coworkers perceive you and your job performance? When you start working at a new company, you’re not really aware of how your work and behaviour affects your teammates and the whole organization.
Even the most competent employees tend to overrate or undervalue their accomplishments. That’s why constant reality checks really matter.
Enter feedback. If other people think you are careless, chances are they are right. You’d better know their concerns immediately, rather than fixing concerning behaviour that’s become a habit — one that no one has had the courage to point out.
You can only build on existing skills and learn new ones when you’re are aware of what you are good at already and what’s still missing.
Feedback helps you avoid surprises you may not be ready for at annual performance reviews. Being aware of your weaknesses and shortcomings — whether you like it or not — is critical to your improvement.
Keep calm and take feedback
But what does it take for feedback to inspire a change, instead of making you feel like you’re being attacked?
We tend to open up and seek support from someone we get along with. With them, even discussing failures doesn’t create a feeling of being judged. However, at the workplace, people generally feel uneasy and defensive when they hear criticism.
I was surprised to find myself in an environment where mistakes are not perceived as the end of the world.
I remember my hands trembling when I had to report an error I made. “No worries, it’s fixable” — as long as we stay open and accountable, we show that we care about the things we work to achieve. We can then find a solution together.
An atmosphere of safety and trust creates conditions that make giving and receiving feedback a positive experience. Feeling empathy for each other is key.
Frequent team buildings, internal events, letting employees have fun together — this is what it takes to create strong bonds among coworkers. Consequently, they will feel comfortable sharing their opinions in any situation.
“I have no time to give feedback” is not an excuse. And giving positive feedback is very important, too. The positive energy it creates spreads quickly, making the whole team more efficient.
Feedback as a dialogue
1-on-1 sessions with your team leader is where you would typically expect to be given feedback. What really helps is having your team leader take on the role of a coach, rather than a commander.
Me and my team leader enjoy taking a walk with a cup of coffee, having fun and lively conversations before discussing important questions. Meetings don’t have to stick to conference rooms.
The purpose of feedback is to help you improve and develop a growth mindset, so whatever helps in achieving this aim is welcome.
And a 1-on-1 should by no means be a one way thing. Employees should give feedback to their team leaders, too. This is what makes them feel meaningful. Discussing concerns and steps to improve is what increases collaboration and contributes to improved team results.
Looking back
Oddly, the impression I had of Vinted when I first came here hasn’t changed much. It’s a place where you share knowledge to help each other make things work.
I’ve found that worrying less about possible failures is what really enables learning.
In any art, mastery comes before creative freedom. In a business, meaningful feedback is what helps you become a guru in your area and opening up to a broader view with new, bigger challenges. That’s when you can start suggesting actions that can have an effect on much more than just your area of responsibility.
