Giving feedback to your manager: a guide for developers

Feedback to your manager is a topic rarely discussed in the workplace. While there are guides and workshops for feedback flowing downward, upward feedback often ends in awkward conversations or anonymous surveys. As both a developer and a team lead, the author recognizes the significance of providing feedback to managers, as they may be unaware of certain issues. The article offers a simple flow, useful phrases, and tips for team leads to facilitate this process.

To give effective feedback to your manager, it should be small, timely, and private. Begin by asking about the background, then provide a concrete observation and its impact, and conclude with a suggestion. Avoid waiting to give feedback, as it tends to be more harsh when criticism has accumulated. Key insights from the article include:

1. Honest upward feedback is crucial for changing behavior and improving performance.

2. Preparing for the conversation takes only five minutes, involving bullet points on a sticky note covering the specifics of the situation, impact, background, desired outcome, and personal reasons for addressing the issue.

3. The recommended four-step process involves asking for permission, understanding the background, describing the observation and its impact, and concluding with a shared next step.

The author emphasizes the importance of speaking up, as it benefits both the developer and the manager, leading to improved behavior and stronger working relationships.