How to receive and request feedback to level up your career
Six members of Zalando’s product design community share their tips to receive and request feedback for self-improvement.
Imagine a world where we were all as good at receiving feedback as we were giving it, where instead of fearing critique, we sought to befriend it. It would be an ecosystem of mutual growth where empathy exceeded ego and self-awareness shaped our actions. It may sound like a utopia to some. After all, even in the most harmonious communities, people are not perfect. Add imposter syndrome, or just emotions, and even constructive feedback delivered with the best intentions can be felt on a personal level.
It’s normal to feel this way. We are human beings with fight-or-flight instincts. Though we may not have to deal with saber tooth tigers in the workplace, the stress hormones in our bodies perceive different kinds of threats. On a biological level, a piece of ‘negative’ feedback might translate as a danger to our livelihood or peace of mind. As a result, we may respond with defensiveness or avoidance. Whereas, in reality, that critique was a gift intended to help us learn and improve.
Creating such a world, or culture, is possible. Every one of us has the building blocks. If we all endeavor to reframe feedback as a positive tool for growth, we can create a workplace where a drive for self-improvement trumps prejudgement. Instead of getting caught up in internal narratives, we can truly hear what others are saying, and reap the benefits. The practice of regularly asking for feedback — no matter our seniority — cultivates transparent relationships based on trust, guidance, and mentorship, helping us all work together to achieve our goals.
How can we productively receive feedback? And how can we ask for the feedback we need to improve? Six members of Zalando’s product design community share their tips.
How to receive feedback
View feedback as a gift
This is part of Zalando’s ‘Live high challenge and high support’ founding principle. One of the reasons it is so effective is that giving and receiving feedback is coupled with a care for our colleagues that goes beyond their role. When we understand that someone is giving us feedback because they care about us, it is easier to distance ourselves from any potentially negative emotions that may arise and view it objectively as a growth opportunity.
“People are open and genuinely care about your feelings. In return, we must also be open to receiving feedback and thankful to whoever is giving it to us.”
“At Zalando, we have a very caring mindset,” says Product Design Manager Anna Skorobogatova. “People are open and genuinely care about your feelings. In return, we must also be open to receiving feedback and thankful to whoever is giving it to us. Even if the feedback is not the most positive, we have to keep it in mind that it is intended to help us, not hurt us. Bringing less ego to our work helps us to avoid taking it personally. If we have this attitude, it’s easy to build a healthy feedback culture in our team and the company.”
Content Design Manager Chad Wright encourages his team to reframe ‘negative’ feedback. “I help them see areas for improvement as muscles they need to train. We all have different skill spikes and some things we are not so good at yet. We are not static human beings; we are always growing. Discovering a blind spot can be super liberating because once you’ve identified it, you can start getting better at it.”
Give yourself time to digest it
Being mindful and giving ourselves time to process feedback is a great way to keep those fight-or-flight hormones at bay. Instead of being reactive or defensive, it is crucial to take the feedback on board as it is being delivered. “Don’t try to apologize, offer explanations or excuses, or push back in any way,” Director of Product Design Gloria Rupprecht advises. “At this moment, what matters is listening actively to properly understand the feedback. Just say ‘thank you’ and give yourself time to let it sink in — though if it is very generic, ask for more detail first. You can address it the next day or two days later, even in a written form if you prefer, once you have had time to think. That’s a great sign of professional maturity.”
“What matters is listening actively to properly understand the feedback.”
Product Designer Stephanie Marie Cedeño uses this approach. “I’m very reflective about what is said. Instead of acting right away, I listen. Then I file it away and take some time to process it.”
Be proactive
Once we’ve digested the feedback, we can use that newfound insight to fuel our progress. This is the perfect opportunity to ask questions that will help us form an action plan on how to proceed. For example: “What can I do to improve that skill?’, ‘What should I do differently next time?’, ‘How can I ensure my intentions match my impact?’, ‘Who can help me with this?’, ‘What goals can we set together?’. This approach not only helps us develop but demonstrates our commitment to growth.
“I ask myself, ‘What can I fix now, and what is important to iterate on later?’”
We might also ask ourselves questions. “I look at all the feedback and prioritize it,” Product Designer Mary Michel Rizk shares. “I ask myself, ‘What can I fix now, and what is important to iterate on later?’. Where my general performance is concerned, I ask for feedback every step of the way, rather than waiting for evaluation rounds, so that I can directly implement changes and get into the solution mindset.”
How to request feedback
Be specific
Most of us have been in a situation where we asked for advice or feedback and got more or less than we bargained for. When we want to improve on a particular skill or seek actionable feedback on our work, simply asking, “Can you give me feedback?” is generally not the best approach. “I would rather someone ask me about a specific area they want to improve in,” says Gloria. “For example, if they are working on their presentation skills, they should ask for concrete feedback on that. The more specific their inquiry, the more specific my feedback can be. You can even ask someone to pay attention to a particular area, such as your communication skills, before your next meeting so that they can provide the most focused feedback.”
“Setting an agenda for feedback, rather than approaching it spontaneously, gives both sides ample opportunity to reflect on the topic.”
As a manager, Anna finds it helpful to give her team a document to fill out, where they specify topics they would like to discuss with her in their weekly one-on-one sessions. “Setting an agenda for feedback, rather than approaching it spontaneously, gives both sides ample opportunity to reflect on the topic.”
Give enough context
Senior Product Designer Oyindamola Akinleye believes it’s beneficial to set the tone of the conversation. “I give context about the work. For example, the vision or goal of the project, why the design is this way, the problems I am addressing, and the obstacles I have encountered. This way, whoever I ask for feedback understands my journey from A to Z and can give informed advice.”
“This way, whoever I ask for feedback understands my journey from A to Z and can give informed advice.”
Mary Michel agrees that the quality of the feedback we receive depends on how well we explain the topic and how well the other person understands. “For one topic, I did three rounds of design critiques. I presented the first round as a warm-up, knowing I didn’t want to overwhelm people with information in one meeting. This was an opportunity for them to ask clarification questions. Once they knew about the topic, they could give more specific feedback. By the third round, I was able to present very detailed designs, and they understood what they meant.”
Consider timing
When we ask someone for feedback, we are also asking for their time. Therefore, it’s essential to be considerate of their schedule. That often means asking for feedback at the relevant time while it’s still fresh in their minds. “Don’t wait for a week or two to ask how you performed in a meeting,” says Gloria. “I have so many meetings that I will forget exactly what happened. The closer to the meeting, the better.”
On our journey of self-improvement, we must also be assertive and openly communicate what we need from others. “I try to give a time buffer or a deadline I need the feedback by,” Oyindamola explains. “I may have a milestone approaching, before which I need to gather all the feedback and implement any changes. I want to ensure I give everyone enough time to reflect and also that they deliver.”
Make use of multiple settings
Harnessing the expertise of different ‘audiences’ is an impactful strategy. Our very senior colleagues may offer a different perspective on our work or performance than our peers — and both feedback scenarios have their value. Oyindamola uses a “top to bottom” approach. “I like to talk to key stakeholders and people with influence to make quick progress. Official feedback sessions, like design critiques and design clubs, provide a structured basis for improvement. And, of course, if I’m looking to bounce ideas off someone and overcome a creative block, I ask my peers if we can chat over coffee. Usually, our peers give the most unfiltered feedback.”
Next, from establishing a safe space, to opening a discussion, to following a feedback framework, eight members of our product design community share their tips and experience on how to give impactful feedback.
