💠Stop Asking “Any Feedback?” (Here’s What to Say Instead)
Hello Hello!
I’ll admit it — I’ve been guilty of asking for feedback the wrong way.
When I’m teaching, I often catch myself saying, “Any questions?” And guess what usually happens?
Silence.
Almost no one raises their hand.
The problem isn’t that they have nothing to say. The problem is that the question is too generic.
The same thing happens at work. Whether you’re a developer asking a teammate or a student asking a professor — the way you ask for feedback matters.
When you ask the right way, you signal that you're motivated, thoughtful, and truly engaged. And trust me — good managers notice. These small moments can add up big time by the time your annual review rolls around.
So in today’s newsletter, we’re going to talk about how to ask for feedback in a way that actually works.
Enjoy,
— Aderson
💠Stop Asking “Any Feedback?” (Here’s What to Say Instead)
We’ve all been there — you finish a sprint, a code review, or a presentation and ask: “Any feedback?”
And what do you hear?
“Nope, looks good!” “All good from my side.” ...crickets...
Frustrating, right?
“How can I ask for feedback in a way that actually gets a useful answer?”
Here’s the key: generic questions get generic answers. If you want feedback that actually helps you grow, you have to get specific.
3 Ways to Ask for Feedback That Actually Works
🎯 Narrow the Focus: One Thing at a Time
đź’¬ Use Real Questions, Not Polite Hints
🔄 Make It Easy for Them to Respond
🎯 Narrow the Focus: One Thing at a Time
Most people won’t know what you want unless you tell them. So instead of asking, “Any feedback?”, ask:
“Was my explanation in today’s demo clear?”
“Did the slide layout make sense to you?”
“Does the commit message provide enough context?”
You're not fishing for general approval — you're looking for signal.
This works because it reduces mental effort. The person doesn’t have to scan everything you did. You’ve told them where to look. You’ll get way better insights by zooming in on one area instead of leaving it wide open.
đź’¬ Use Real Questions, Not Polite Hints
If you’re asking for feedback, don’t be vague or overly polite. Say exactly what you want.
Don’t say:
“Let me know if you have any thoughts.” “Open to any input!” “Feel free to share feedback.”
That sounds like a passive invite. Most people will skip it.
Instead, try:
“What would you change about how I explained that feature?”
“Was anything unclear or confusing in my message?”
“What’s one thing I could have done better?”
Real questions = real answers.
You’re not being pushy — you’re being intentional. And that shows people you’re serious about growth.
🔄 Make It Easy for Them to Respond
People want to help. They really do. But if giving you feedback feels like a lot of work, they’ll skip it.
So make it easy:
Keep your ask short and clear.
Ask in private, where there’s less pressure.
Give them a prompt like: “Just one sentence is fine — anything you noticed is helpful.”
Even better: if they’re in a rush, ask asynchronously — in a DM, email, or Slack message. You can even drop a yes/no question like: "Was that explanation better than last time — yes or no?"
Less friction = more feedback.
Final Thoughts
If you’re asking for feedback and getting silence, it’s not because people don’t care. It’s because you’re making them guess what you want.
Be specific. Be clear. Make it easy.
And when you get better at asking the right questions, you’ll get better at everything else too.
Personal Updates
🌞 I hope summer is going well for you. Mine is going great here is Brazil, with family and friends.
👧 Missing my kids in Canada.
“Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” — Ken Blanchard