Shooting Down Ideas Without Turning

Shooting Down Shooting Down Ideas Without Ideas Without

Turning Turning Students OffStudents Off

Heather Spell ArringtonHeather Spell ArringtonAssistant DirectorAssistant Director

Student Leadership Development ProgramsStudent Leadership Development Programs

What is Feedback?What is Feedback?

Feedback SandwichFeedback Sandwich

Feedback TipsFeedback Tips

Why is this importantWhy is this important??

FEEDBACKFEEDBACKIt's not about force or demanding changeIt's not about force or demanding change

It is supposed to "feed" or nourish the It is supposed to "feed" or nourish the person who is receiving it. person who is receiving it.

My definition:My definition: Feedback is nourishing Feedback is nourishing another person directly so that they can another person directly so that they can grow professionally and personally.grow professionally and personally.

Feedback can backfire if the Feedback can backfire if the information is delivered with force. information is delivered with force.

It can taste sour if the "feedback" is It can taste sour if the "feedback" is passed through someone else to the passed through someone else to the person for whom it is intended.person for whom it is intended.

People need to digest their own food; People need to digest their own food; otherwise it's hard to stomach! otherwise it's hard to stomach!

THE FEEDBACK SANDWICHTHE FEEDBACK SANDWICHAppreciate the Appreciate the

PersonPerson

Challenge the Challenge the BehaviorBehavior

Support the Support the ChangeChange

APPRECIATE THE PERSONAPPRECIATE THE PERSON

Share appreciation by expressing something about Share appreciation by expressing something about the person which you recognize as positive. the person which you recognize as positive.

A person who feels more secure will be less A person who feels more secure will be less defensive and less likely to attack you. defensive and less likely to attack you.

Help them feel secure that you recognize their Help them feel secure that you recognize their value by acknowledging that value. It is almost as if, value by acknowledging that value. It is almost as if, by speaking of the positive things about this person, by speaking of the positive things about this person, you bring the positive part of them to the surface. you bring the positive part of them to the surface.

That is the part of them you want to receive your That is the part of them you want to receive your feedback!feedback!

CHALLENGE THE CHALLENGE THE BEHAVIOR OR IDEABEHAVIOR OR IDEA

Describe their behavior which you want Describe their behavior which you want changed. changed.

State how you see their behavior could be State how you see their behavior could be ineffective in having them get their job done or ineffective in having them get their job done or reach their goals. reach their goals.

Focus on the Behavior Not the PersonFocus on the Behavior Not the Person

Make sure you point out the result of their Make sure you point out the result of their behavior and the reason why you believe a behavior and the reason why you believe a change in the behavior or idea would be in change in the behavior or idea would be in their best interest.their best interest.

SUPPORT THE CHANGESUPPORT THE CHANGE

Real change takes time. Real change takes time.

What you are pointing out to them might be an What you are pointing out to them might be an unconscious habit for them. Just because you have told unconscious habit for them. Just because you have told them does not mean that their habit will automatically them does not mean that their habit will automatically change. Even if they want to change, the old habit will not change. Even if they want to change, the old habit will not automatically disappear. automatically disappear.

Give them some time to turn a good intention into a new Give them some time to turn a good intention into a new habit. habit.

Change requires practice, requires forgetting and Change requires practice, requires forgetting and remembering, and usually requires help and support.remembering, and usually requires help and support.

ONGOING SUPPORTONGOING SUPPORTAsk them what you can do or say to support the Ask them what you can do or say to support the change. change.

Ask them what you can do or say to help them change Ask them what you can do or say to help them change in this more positive direction.in this more positive direction.

Ask them how it would be appropriate for you to Ask them how it would be appropriate for you to remind them if you see the old behavior happening remind them if you see the old behavior happening again. again.

If possible have them suggest something you can do to If possible have them suggest something you can do to help, when you see the old behavior happening again.help, when you see the old behavior happening again.

Golden Rules of Giving FeedbackGolden Rules of Giving FeedbackGive feedback in privateGive feedback in privateDo not sound threateningDo not sound threatening

Keep the feedback balancedKeep the feedback balanced

Focus on the problem, not on the person's Focus on the problem, not on the person's personalitypersonality

Don't overstate the problem by using words such Don't overstate the problem by using words such as "always," "never" or "worst" as "always," "never" or "worst" Stick to one subjectStick to one subject

Don't remind people of previous instances that Don't remind people of previous instances that were resolved. were resolved. Use the "I" statementsUse the "I" statements

Robert is reading an article and Stephen is in the next room working intently on his computer. Robert notices something in his article that he feels is very important for Stephen to know. Robert knows it would make a big difference for Stephen if he only understood it. Robert gets excited, and immediately takes the article to show Stephen. He doesn't knock, he doesn't consider what Stephen is doing or whether Stephen is ready to hear anything new. Robert just comes right into Stephen's office and starts talking. He says, "Stephen, I think you need to see this. This is really important". Stephen is caught off guard. He's deep in his own thoughts about his own project. He isn't ready to see the article right now. He is in the middle of something he feels is important and finds it intrusive and disrespectful to be pulled away from his work to consider Robert's unscheduled interruption.

Feedback Tip #1Feedback Tip #1

Allow forAllow forreceiverreceiver

readinessreadiness

Feedback Tip #2Feedback Tip #2 Feedback Feedback needs to be needs to be descriptive descriptive

NOTNOTinterpretiveinterpretive

Feedback Tip #3Feedback Tip #3

Cover Cover recent recent events events

or or actionsactions

Feedback Tip #4Feedback Tip #4

Sense of Sense of appropriateappropriate

timetime

Feedback Tip #5Feedback Tip #5 Feedback Feedback should be should be somethinsomethin

g g valuable valuable and newand new

Feedback Tip #6Feedback Tip #6

Must beMust besomethingsomethingchangeablechangeable

Feedback Tip #7Feedback Tip #7

Is givenIs givento beto be

helpfulhelpful

Feedback Tip #8Feedback Tip #8

Do NOT Do NOT demand a demand a changechange

Feedback Tip #9Feedback Tip #9

Avoid an Avoid an overload of overload of feedbackfeedback

Feedback Tip #10Feedback Tip #10

Look for Look for understandinunderstandin

gg

Feedback Tip #11Feedback Tip #11

ShareSharepersonalpersonal

experienceexperience

Feedback Tip #12Feedback Tip #12

Be specific, Be specific, give the FACTSgive the FACTS

Feedback Tip #13Feedback Tip #13Ask forAsk forfeedbackfeedback

Feedback Tip #14Feedback Tip #14Both Both

parties shareparties sharereactions toreactions to

situationsituation