Getting in touch with the feedback giver

Closing the feedback loop often involves getting back in touch with the person who provided us with the feedback in the first place.

There are a few reasons why we might want to do that.

Firstly, it can help us show our appreciation, which might make the feedback provider more likely to help us in the future. But more importantly, it can give us a chance to clarify we have understood their comments and ask follow-up questions.

There is no ‘one size fits all’ to any part of the feedback process, and following up with feedback providers can take many forms, or sometimes not really be an option. Here are some suggestions to help you make the most of the opportunity if you have it.

_{Make a list of what you’ve done}

Remember that revisions table you prepared earlier? It might be helpful to send that to your feedback provider. However, if it spans a few pages, and your feedback provider is a busy person, it might be better to provide them with an overview.

_{Justify why you didn’t do the things they suggested}

A lot of feedback is provided voluntarily out of a desire to help you improve your work. Not all of it will actually be helpful in the end, as we’ve discussed in previous steps.

If your feedback provider is someone who could be impacted by you not taking a particular critique on board, it may be worth explaining to them why you haven’t done what they suggested. This shows you have meaningfully engaged with their input, even though you haven’t gone in the direction they may have wanted. They might even learn something from you, too.

_{Ask further questions}

You’ve just demonstrated to this feedback provider that when they give you comments on your work, you consider and act on them. Now might be a great time to ask further questions. These could be clarification questions about their existing comments, or new questions.

Practise your skills

One of the hardest parts of responding to feedback providers is working through disagreements. Choose a piece of feedback you’ve received recently that you disagree with, and write a statement you could provide to that feedback provider justifying why you haven’t taken it on board.

Remember to express gratitude and respect, and show you have engaged in a considered way with it, rather than just ignoring it. Share your response below, making sure to respect the privacy of the feedback provider.