Get better input with ‘advice’

As we progress through our careers, we learn the value of receiving feedback from peers and managers to ensure we improve and grow. Feedback helps us identify weaknesses, strengths, and mistakes – ultimately setting us up for success.

How we ask for feedback, deliver it, and interpret it influences the effectiveness. This article from Harvard Business Review provides a fresh take on getting the most out of others’ input, and it’s a simple phrasing change.

“People received more effective input when they asked for advice rather than feedback.”

Here’s the difference based on four studies examined in the article:

• Advice: Reviewers who were asked for advice “offered more critical and actionable input” and “more frequently contained detailed explanations of what worked and what didn’t.”

 

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