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The end of the year is the time to look back at how your business has developed over the last twelve months. For me, there has been a lot of innovation, reacting to what clients need and shaping my offerings to suit what business leaders want. I thrive in that place of creativity, but it means things in my business are constantly changing, which can be a bit chaotic (just ask any of my team!). So, how do I deal with that change?
I’ve discovered that one thing is essential to keep both me and my team on track: feedback.
The ability to adapt is essential. Companies that are agile and responsive to change are 2.5 times more likely to outperform their competitors, according to a study by McKinsey. So, how does feedback play into this? Simple—feedback helps teams stay grounded, learn quickly, and pivot when necessary.
In this post, we’ll explore how feedback fosters resilience and adaptability in the workplace, plus some practical tips on using feedback to navigate change.
Why Feedback Is Critical During Times of Change
Change can be unsettling. Whether it’s a big organisational shift or a smaller change like adopting new technology, people tend to feel uncertain when things are in flux. That’s where feedback provides clarity and direction, helping people adjust more easily.
When employees receive regular, constructive feedback during times of change, it helps them understand why things are changing, how it affects them, and what they can do to stay on track. This kind of clarity reduces anxiety and increases confidence, allowing employees to adapt more quickly.
On the flip side, a lack of feedback can lead to confusion, frustration, and resistance to change. In fact, a report from PwC found that 55% of employees feel that change management efforts fail because communication is unclear. So, if you want your team to handle change with grace, feedback is your best friend.
How Feedback Builds Resilience
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks, and feedback plays a big role in building resilience because it helps people learn from mistakes, grow, and move forward with confidence.
Here’s how it works:
- Feedback Provides a Learning Opportunity: When people receive feedback on how they’re handling change, it allows them to course-correct, improve, and ultimately become more resilient. They can take the lessons learned and apply them to future challenges, making them better equipped to handle whatever comes their way.
- Feedback Helps People Develop a Growth Mindset: A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and persistence. Feedback reinforces this mindset by showing employees that mistakes aren’t failures, but opportunities to grow. When people believe they can improve, they become more resilient in the face of change.
- Feedback Reduces Fear of the Unknown: One of the biggest hurdles to resilience is fear, especially fear of the unknown. Feedback helps alleviate that fear by providing employees with the information they need to move forward. It turns uncertainty into actionable steps.
How Feedback Encourages Adaptability
Adaptability is all about being flexible and open to change, and feedback is key to fostering that mindset. When feedback is delivered in a way that encourages openness and continuous learning, employees are more likely to embrace change rather than resist it.
Here’s how feedback promotes adaptability:
- Clarifies Expectations: When changes happen, people need to understand what’s expected of them in this new landscape. Feedback provides that clarity, helping employees adapt more quickly to new roles, responsibilities, or processes.
- Encourages Experimentation: Feedback isn’t just about pointing out what’s wrong; it’s also about encouraging new ideas and approaches. In times of change, employees need the freedom to experiment and try new things. Constructive feedback helps guide these experiments and shows employees how to improve, which fosters a culture of adaptability.
- Reinforces Positive Behaviour: When employees are navigating change, it’s important to acknowledge what they’re doing right. Positive feedback helps reinforce adaptive behaviours and encourages employees to keep going, even when things feel uncertain.
Actionable Tips for Using Feedback During Times of Change
Now that we’ve covered why feedback is so important for resilience and adaptability, let’s get practical. Here are a few tips for giving feedback that helps your team thrive during periods of change:
- Provide Feedback Early and Often: Don’t wait until a change has fully rolled out to start giving feedback. Provide feedback early in the process, so employees have time to adjust and improve. Regular check-ins are key.
- Focus on the Positives: Change can be overwhelming, so it’s important to highlight what’s going well. Acknowledge the small wins, and use feedback to reinforce positive behaviours that will help the team adapt.
- Be Open to Receiving Feedback: Change isn’t just hard for employees—it’s hard for managers, too. Be open to your team’s feedback on how you’re handling the change process, and use it to improve your approach.
- Use Feedback to Empower, Not Criticise: In times of change, feedback should be about helping employees feel empowered to succeed, not about criticising what they’re doing wrong. Use feedback to guide them toward success and help them feel confident in their ability to adapt.
- Tie Feedback to the Bigger Picture: Help employees see how their adaptability contributes to the company’s larger goals. This gives context to the change and helps employees understand why their flexibility matters.
Summary
Change is never easy, but with the right feedback, your team can build the resilience and adaptability needed to handle whatever comes their way. Feedback provides the clarity, encouragement, and learning opportunities that help people grow stronger in the face of challenges. And when your team is resilient and adaptable, they’re not just surviving change, they’re thriving in it.
