Mastering Feedback: 15 Essential Tips for Giving and Receiving

Are you a team leader who struggles to find the right words to comment on someone’s mistakes? Or do you dread seeing messages with the headline ‘Feedback,’ expecting the worst?

Don’t worry! VG Entertainment’s team has prepared this short list of recommendations to handle the uncomfortable situation, no matter which side of feedback you’re on. 🙂

No more intros, let’s get down to business!

Giving Feedback

Khrystyna, our Lead Recruiter, believes this is crucial at every workplace, as providing feedback correctly allows team leaders to:

• Assess if your team members perform their tasks effectively.
• Highlight their successes and spark additional motivation.
• Identify areas for development and set further goals.
• Help people achieve their objectives and be happy with the results.
• And finally, help team members grow and get promoted.

Sounds great, right? But still, many of us hate assessing others’ work, as not only it requires time and effort to outline mistakes and propose solutions, but may also lead to defensive behavior from the recipient.

Here are our top tips to minimize misunderstandings, conflicts, and just uncomfortable situations:

1. Make it Timely

The ideal time frame for giving feedback is 1–2 days. Sure, it’s better late than never, but details fade from memory quickly, so don’t delay.

2. Keep it Private

Praising others in public is a great thing, but please, never do the same with criticizing. For sharing negative comments, use direct messages, email, or one-on-one meetings.

3. Comment on Work Only

As Vladyslav, our Environment Artist, says, “It is the work, not the person, that should be critiqued. Maintaining professionalism when giving or receiving feedback is crucial. Making mistakes is natural and it’s an integral part of learning. Calmly discuss areas of concern, identify growth opportunities, and work together to improve the work.”

We also recommend paying attention to the phrases you use. For example, instead of saying, “This is not right.” try, “I think the results could have been better if you considered doing A, B, and C.”

4. Be Specific and Direct

Vague feedback is fine when you’re happy with the results. If you’re not, remember that the person can’t read your mind, so:

• Create a brief list with bullet points.
• Outline key ideas.
• Make them clear and short.

“Focusing on specific aspects helps avoid ambiguity, ensuring both parties are on the same page. Everyone has different experiences, and what is obvious to one person may not be clear to another,” adds Vladyslav.

5. Be Empathetic and Sincere

Imagine how you’d like to receive feedback. Use a friendly, supportive tone and act as a mentor, not a boss.

Khrystyna shares a couple of tips on how to do that:

• “Avoid using labels (‘lazy’, ‘disorganized’, etc.).
• Don’t ask manipulative questions to push your vision but listen to the employee.
• Avoid generalizations (‘always’, ‘never’, ‘as always’).”

6. Make It a Dialogue

Be ready to answer questions and encourage others to ask. Explain ‘Why,’ not just ‘What’ and ‘When.’

7. Encourage Self-Reflection

Work with feedback doesn’t end with the discussion. Provide useful literature or links to extra information to help your mate succeed with their tasks.

8. Look for Possible Solutions

Instead of prescribing the only correct solution, suggest several options or encourage finding their own way. Let the person decide where to start and discuss their plan.

“Search for solutions shifts the focus from the issue to the resolution. This approach involves the performer in finding solutions, allowing them to take ownership of the process rather than seeing feedback as just a list of problems to fix,” says Vladyslav.

9. Provide a Summary

Summarize the meeting to avoid misunderstandings. Add supportive words at the end to show the person that it’s not that difficult and motivate them. 

10. Follow Up

Keep improving the results! Share best practices, books, and recommendations. Ask your teammate about the progress and offer additional help.

Some more tips from VG Entertainment’s teammates:

Vladyslav, Environment Artist: “I like to receive feedback the same way I give it: with respect for the work done, a focus on specific aspects, and a goal of finding solutions rather than merely pointing out problems. This approach fosters a healthy atmosphere of mutual support and professionalism within the team, promoting long-term career growth for specialists and supporting mental health.”

Tina, Communications Manager: “When giving feedback, I always focus on the positive things first. Even if there are many mistakes, I try to find something good to start with. Next, I:

• Present my comments as suggestions to try something different.
• Provide an example or describe the desired outcome.
• Sometimes add a bit of humor to make my feedback sound not so harsh.
• Let teammates know I’m always available for additional questions or suggestions.

Finally, we are one team, so support and constructive comments help us achieve our goals faster.”

Khrystyna, Lead Recruiter: “If an employee disagrees with the feedback:

• Add clarity, draw examples from work tasks, and provide detailed answers to all questions.
• Find a point of agreement.
• Stay calm and professional.”

So, now you see that delivering feedback is not that scary. 🙂 

Receiving Feedback

Have you ever found yourself receiving feedback and not knowing what to do with it? Have you ever wanted to quit after getting harsh criticism without any suggestions for solving the issue?

Remember that such comments don’t always mean a bad attitude or doubts about your professionalism. Sometimes, people don’t have enough time to delve into details or they might assume you understood their point from a few phrases.

Here’s how to get the most out of feedback and distinguish criticism from valuable lessons:

1. Be the First to Ask

Don’t wait for a mistake to happen to discuss it with your team leader. Ask for feedback regularly, and you’ll be surprised by how many positive comments on your work you’ll receive!

2. Perceive it as a Recommendation

Just put emotions and ego aside. View feedback as an offer to try a different approach, not as criticism. Focus on what can be done better, not what you’ve done wrong. 

3. Take Active Part

Be curious and ask questions. The more details you get, the fewer chances there are for future mistakes. Also, if you like the tone of the comments, let your team leader know so they can continue using it.

“Approach feedback openly, don’t be afraid to discuss it, and stay focused on the results. This will ensure productive cooperation with teammates, foster professional growth, and help others grow as well,” adds Vladyslav.

4. Reflect and Decide on Further Actions

Outline problem-solving methods and share them with the feedback giver. Together, decide on the best approach and put it into practice.

5. Own your Mistakes and Grow

Everyone makes mistakes. Embrace this fact and try to approach the issue from a different angle. If nothing helps, seek further assistance from your team leader or colleagues, or consider enhancing your skills through courses and professional reading.

Tina sums up our recommendations on receiving feedback: “Any assessment is easier to accept when you remember that everyone is different. Not everyone can immediately provide detailed comments in a form that is accessible to any person on the team. So, ask questions, initiate feedback sessions, and share work results with team leaders and mates more often.

Most importantly, focus on goals, not mistakes. Keep moving forward! When you find a problem, fix it, learn how to deal with the task more efficiently, and advance in your career. Don’t take every issue to heart; see it as an opportunity to experiment and improve.”

Summing Up

We hope these tips help you give and receive feedback effectively. Just be friendly and constructive, and don’t forget these tips once you close the article. 🙂

Proper communication and the correct perception of comments lead to better results and productivity, improved engagement and motivation, positive relationships at work, and alignment with common goals.

Also, feel free to share this piece with colleagues who often deal with feedback, and stay tuned for more insights from our team. And don’t forget to explore our job opportunities, if you’re looking for a cool position in game dev.

See you soon on our blog pages!