How often do you actively seek feedback in your projects? From clients, the stakeholders, or even from the project team?
I read something earlier this week which got me thinking about this. I’m paraphrasing a little, but it was along the lines of “If you only ask for feedback at the end, you don’t want feedback, you want validation.”
It’s true, isn’t it. I’ve been reluctant to ask for feedback from clients during the delivery phase, as I’ve taken the view that things are ticking along, so everything must be ok. I didn’t want to ask in case I heard something that conflicted with my own view of how things were going.
When there’s no feedback loop in projects, it’s usually because of one of these patterns:
Why Feedback Fails in Projects
- We ask vague questions (“Any thoughts?”)
- We ask too late (post-delivery)
- We ask the wrong people (hierarchy over impact)
- We don’t make it psychologically safe
- We defend instead of listen
Making Feedback Useful
Below are some ideas for how you can ask for feedback, and make it useful:
1. Ask Specific Questions
Instead of asking “Does this look okay?” Try:
- “What would stop you signing this off today?”
- “What’s unclear?”
- “What feels risky?”
- “What would you change?”
Specific questions = specific answers.
2. Ask Early, and Ask Small
- Share drafts, not polished deliverables.
- Review direction before the detail.
- Validate assumptions before execution.
Getting in a 15-minute alignment session can save weeks of rework.
3. Separate Ego from Output
Don’t stress about it…
- The project is not you.
- Criticism of the work is not criticism of your competence as a Project Manager.
- If you can’t detach yourself from the work, you can’t improve it.
4. Design Feedback Loops Into the Plan
Get the feedback loops scheduled into the plan, aligned with key events and milestones:
- Stage gates
- Sprint reviews
- Design reviews
- Risk reviews
- Retrospectives
It’s easier to ask when the customer or team expect it. Make it a normal part of the project.
5. Close the Loop
Arguably the most overlooked piece: After you’ve had the feedback, communicate that you’ve taken it on board and what you’ve done to address it:
- “You raised X. We’ve addressed it by doing Y.”
- “You said communication felt unclear. We’ve introduced a one-page status dashboard.”
6. Watch for Non-Verbal Feedback
Look out for any early warning signals. Maybe you notice certain behaviours in team meetings, like:
- Silence
- Short answers
- “Fine.”
- No follow-up questions
These are all signs that something might not be right. Read the room and work out a way to determine any underlying issues so that they can be addressed before it becomes a major issue.
7. Create Psychological Safety
People don’t give honest feedback when the culture doesn’t allow it. As a PM, you need to foster an open and honest environment where people feel free to share their thoughts and opinions on what’s working and what isn’t. It can be difficult if people are defensive, or the customer is dominating, or the business has a history of punishing mistakes.
8. Reframe Feedback
Reframe feedback as a means for:
- Early risk detection
- Expectation calibration
- Scope clarity
- Stakeholder alignment
This way, it’s preventative maintenance.
I’ve learned that avoiding feedback doesn’t protect the project; it only delays problems surfacing. When you design feedback into your project delivery approach, you remove guesswork, reduce rework, and build trust.
Ask early. Ask clearly. Close the loop.
