Providing Effective Feedback
What Is Feedback?
Feedback is evaluative communication – praise or criticism.
Reasons for providing feedback
-Provides guidance and direction
-Demonstrates concern and caring
-Improves accountability and morale
-Opens channels of communication
-Fulfills expectations of your job responsibility
When executed properly, constructive feedback is an invitation to problem
solve.
When giving constructive feedback, the issue is less often what the person did
or did not do, but the aftermath or results.
Questions to Ask Prior to
Giving Feedback
Like all important communication, preparation and pre-work are essential to
achieving your goals.
Constructive feedback questions to help hone your message:
(1) What adjectives (descriptive words) describe the behavior(s) that you want
changed?
(2) Why might this person act this way?
(3) What are the advantages/disadvantages to giving feedback? What are the
advantages/disadvantages to not giving this feedback?
(4) In one sentence, what behavior(s) would you like to see?
The four i’s of Effective
Feedback
When providing constructive feedback, invoke the four i’s
(1) Provide information – give an objective observation
Ex: Your recent email was repetitive and confusing.
(2) Explain the importance – use “I” language to explain your thoughts and
feelings about the behavior you wish to have changed.
Ex: I feel like you are not properly prioritizing the
importance of communicating your progress.
(3) Offer an invitation – provide a specific, concise and measurable request of
what you need from the person.
Ex: I need you to have a colleague proof read your
progress report emails prior to sending them out.
(4) Detail the implications – articulate the consequences of compliance and/or
noncompliance
Ex: Clearly communicating your progress via email will
allow our weekly meetings to be more effective.
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Considerations When
Giving Feedback
Where: In public or private?
When: How proximate to the action(s) in question?
Who:
Provide feedback 1:1 or with others?
Navigate among three layers of effect of the other’s actions:
-Content = what s/he specifically did
-Patterns = how what s/he did fits into previous actions
-Relationships = how what s/he did affects others
Advice for Receiving
Feedback
Receiving feedback is an invitation to collaborate. To maximize the benefits of
this opportunity:
-Listen without interrupting
-Keep an open mind and avoid defensiveness
-Paraphrase to ensure fidelity before responding
-Be gracious and assume the person giving feedback is trying to help you
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Feedback Activity
Objective: To practice providing effective feedback.
Method:
ƒ With a partner, read the scenario described below.
ƒ Together, discuss the best answers to the questions listed under the scenario.
ƒ Each participant will write his/her answers on the form (the partners may share answers) and be prepared to
discuss the responses.
Deliverable:
A completed form.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Scenario
Sundar is a very talented engineer. He is able to quickly and accurately solve problems with which others struggle.
He gets along nicely with his peers and people like him. However, Sundar is a big guy. He stands six feet eight
inches tall and weighs 225 pounds. He also speaks in an assertive, confident tone.
Sundar’s physical presence, strong communication style and reputation for being right intimidates his fellow
employees. In many meetings, Sundar’s peers will not share their ideas for fear of being corrected or challenged (in
a friendly way). Others simply do not work hard when Sundar is on their team because they know he will end up
doing it his way and he will do it better than they could have. Remember, no one dislikes Sundar, and the company
very much wants him as an employee.
As Sundar’s manager, you are to come up with the following:
(1) Come up with three adjectives (descriptive words) that describe the behavior that needs to be changed.
(2) What are the advantages and disadvantages to providing this feedback? What are the advantages and
disadvantages to not providing this feedback?
(3) Why might Sundar act this way?
(4) Write one sentence that defines the desired behavior that you would prefer to see.
(5) Using the four i’s approach, author a message deliver your feedback.
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Establishing & Enforcing Effective Ground Rules
What Are Ground Rules?
Ground rules are behavioral guidelines that establish how individuals treat each
other, collaborate, and coordinate their activities.
To be effective, ground rules must be clear, consistent, followed by everyone,
and enforced.
Teams should define ground rules early on in their process, and everyone
should be aware of them (e.g., they can be posted on meeting agendas).
These rules should be modified and revised as needed.
Ground Rules Come in
Three Types
There are three types of ground rules. Successful collaboration relies on a
mixture of all three rules types.
(1) Behavioral – rules that describe expected actions
Ex: Cell phone and laptop use are prohibited.
(2) Content – rules that pertain to what is said
Ex: All information in the meeting is confidential unless otherwise declared.
(3) Procedural – rules that define how the meeting proceeds
Ex: Meetings always start with a reading of the previous meeting’s minutes.
Ground Rules Consist of
Three Parts
Effective ground rules are made up of three parts each:
(1) Succinct description of the action or behavior.
Ex: Arrive to meetings on time.
(2) Compliance measure(s) to see if the rules were followed.
Ex: Attendance is taken immediately at the meeting’s start time.
(3) Specific consequence(s) for non-compliance.
Ex: Late attendees are noted in the meeting minutes.
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Ground Rules Worksheet
For your team, create at least three ground rules of each type.
Rule Type
Behavioral
Rule Description
1.
Consequence for Noncompliance
•
measure:
•
2.
measure:
•
3.
measure:
Content
•
1.
measure:
•
2.
measure:
•
3.
measure:
Procedural
•
1.
measure:
•
2.
measure:
•
3.
measure:
Where will you document and post these rules?
When might you revisit and revise these rules?
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Collaboration Audit Exercise
Objective:
To analyze each participant’s collaboration skills and determine strengths and areas of improvement.
Method:
ƒ Each group will convene in a meeting room.
ƒ A digital camera will be set up by one team member to record the group’s collaboration.
ƒ Group members will actively discuss the Introduction to their final presentation following the guidelines
provided below. Notes on the presentation Introduction will be taken so that a formal Introduction can be
written.
ƒ Upon completion of the discussion, participants will load the digital recording onto a laptop and together
watch the recorded discussion.
ƒ Each participant will complete the Collaboration Audit Evaluation Form (attached).
Deliverables:
(1) Presentation Introduction. Following the outline provided below, a typed Introduction for your team’s
final presentation is due to Aimee Slobin (slobin_aimee@gsb.stanford.edu) on Wednesday, June 29th by
5PM.
(2) Collaboration Audit Evaluation. A completed Audit form is to be brought back to the larger group session
at the end of this activity.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Introductions
Effective presentation Introductions do the following…
Gain audience’s attention by using one or more of the following:
• Tell a story
• Ask questions
• Use a quote
• Provide a startling fact or statistic
• Refer to a current (and relevant) event
Gain audience’s interest
• Answer the questions:
o So what?
o What’s in it for the audience?
o Why should they continue to listen or care?
Establish your credibility
• What are your credentials?
• What are your experiences?
• Why should the audience listen to you on the subject you are discussing?
Reveal your topic/goal and main points you intend to cover
•
State your unique value proposition (what differentiates you from others)
•
Set your audience’s expectations
o
Provide a road map (preview) of your presentation’s points
o
Establish how long you will be speaking
o
Explain if questions and answers will be taken and when
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Collaboration Audit Evaluation Form
Are you…
Connected/Committed
1
2
3
4
5
Confident
1
2
3
4
5
Contributimg
1
2
3
4
5
Nonverbal Presence
Eye Contact
Flitting * * * * * Focused
Expression
Flat * * * * * Animated
Gestures
Closed In * * * * * Opened/Forward
Posture
Unbalanced * * * * * Balanced
Volume
Quiet * * * * * Loud
Collaboration
Task focused
Remote * * * * * Engaged
Input
Tangential * * * * * Relevant
Participation
Low * * * * * High
Inviting
Self-focused * * * * * Solicited input/involvement
Supportive
Indifferent * * * * * Validating
Two strengths of my group collaboration were:
Two areas I will work on to enhance my group collaboration are:
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