How To Give Good Feedback
Many institutions here in Singapore will usually ask participants to give their feedback on the course after every run or session. I do look forward to the feedback, to see where I can improve and make my next run better.
The world also need feedback as well if we are to improve ourselves, especially to stay employed and contribute to society while carving out a legacy. Feedback is very important when you look at it this way. How good the feedback given can determine the impact it can be made when the target takes in the feedback and act upon it.
But what is a good feedback then? I won’t say I know how to give feedback, but as a recipient of feedback, I do have a good idea what feedback I can act on and what I really cannot add on. I hope by sharing this with you readers, I can make the world a better place through impactful feedback.
What is a good feedback?
In my opinion, a good feedback should benefit all stakeholders. This means that all stakeholders are willing to put in an effort, to give, to receive and act upon to bring positive changes. The ideal scenario is the person giving the feedback also gets to enjoy the fruits of his/her positive feedback.
1) Timing
Let me illustrate this with an example. I am known to speak quite fast in certain circumstances. So I do receive feedback that I spoke in a fast manner and thus my participants could not process what I shared. It is a feedback that I can act upon, however, the biggest issue as the section header says is the timing. The feedback was only given AFTER the course has ended. If the feedback was given during the training class, I could have acted on it and the participants will have benefitted from his/her own feedback.
Another example, a parent saw his child performing an act that is wrong such as hitting another kid. But the parent only punish the child two days later without letting in to the child on why he was spanked. Such a punishment surely will not bring about an impressionable lesson.
Timing of feedback when done well really can bring a lot more positive impact, as seen through this example.
2) Be Specific
Feedback should create an action to improve. What does it mean? Feedback need to be specific, preferably with some description on the event that brought about the need for such feedback. Preferably, it should not invite more questions from the target to find out where has gone wrong and can immediately work on a solution.
Let me give an example. I was given the following feedback in one of my classes recently.
“…has room for improvement in terms of facilitation and communication.”
I am definitely no facilitation and communication expert and I welcome such a feedback, however, for me to improve I will need to ask the feedback giver in which situations he/she felt that my facilitation and communication was inadequate. Having the specifics will help me to make an assessment on which aspect of facilitation and communication needs improvement. Is it the words I used, the tone I used or the questions I asked to guide the thought process, etc. I will always have room for improvement and will love to know what is needed for me to improve but the feedback is really to general for me to act upon though.
On the rare chance that you are the one giving this, perhaps you can reach out to me through my LinkedIn? :)
3) Putting on Other’s Shoes
I do agree that this is a bonus, as in it makes the feedback all the more better, very likely to lead to a positive improvement.
If the feedback shows to the receiver of the feedback that it was well thought through, the receiver is very likely to take it up and improve. How does a feedback show that it was well thought through then? The answer is the giver has empathised and thought about the improvement methods that is feasible for the receiver of feedback.
Going back to the previous example, what will be an added bonus is the giver, besides telling me the event that given rise to the feedback, but also gave me a plausible solution.
“…this was what you did that I felt your facilitation skill was inadequate. Perhaps you can do this instead…”
With a plausible solution given, I will have felt the sincerity behind the feedback and know how to work to improve my communication and facilitation skills. :)
Conclusion
Good feedback is important. It allows us as humanity to improve iteratively and make the world a better place to live and work in. It also trains one’s empathy, increase our “Theory of Mind” which is a characteristic that cannot be replicated by the machine easily.
What is your thoughts on this? Do you have other examples or tips on a good feedback?
I hope you enjoy this issue of the newsletter! Do support by Liking, Sharing and perhaps buy me a “book” or two, to let me know I’ve made a positive. :)
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