Providing valuable feedback is not as easy as it seems. Most of the time, people get it wrong. You might think it's as simple as telling someone they did a good or bad job.
But guess what? It's not that straightforward.
It is not about:
- Going to a person in a rush and saying they have done something wrong,
- Reaching out to the person in the most inappropriate situation and time,
- Pushing the person to improve,
- It is not either saying simply "Good job!".
So, what's the real deal with feedback? It's all about teamwork and having a real heart-to-heart.
Instead of those don'ts, here's what you should do:
- Choose the best time to provide feedback when the person is more inclined to accept it,
- Provide ideas backed up with solid reasoning,
- Create a safe conversation environment,
- Listen and understand the perspectives,
- Guide the person towards further actions.
The goal? Walking away from the chat feeling like you just had a super productive talk, you're on the same page, and there's a clear path to improvement.
Now, how do you help your team members provide and receive genuine feedback from each other?
I have a simple exercise that you can run during your retrospective.
Explain the purpose
1. Providing regular feedback is important in building constructive relationships and thriving teams.
2. The exercise aims to build trust and openness and gain self-awareness and insight in individuals.
3. Feedback is a gift! Say "Thank you" and take time to reflect. Change is happening when you are reflecting.
You know what's cool? When recognition comes from all sides – not just the big bosses. Even a "Way to go!" from a teammate can light up someone's day.
(And hey, CEOs showing appreciation? That's gold!)
Quick, think about the last time someone said, "You did a good job." Chances are, you don't even remember. But what if someone told you, "Your solution boosted the team's creativity by 20%"? Now that sticks around.
Start the exercise
1. Create boxes like the one shown below for each person on the team.
2. Ask them to provide feedback for everyone, simply answering these two questions: "What I appreciate about you is" and "What I would like to see more from you is."
3. Once they finish, ask them to review their boxes and raise one or two feedbacks they would like to discuss in more detail.
These discussions can be done as separate 1-on-1s, in breakout rooms, or with the whole team. This is up to the individuals and teams to discuss.
4. Ask each team member to come up with one reflection and next actions.
That's it. Simple and powerful.
Now they want to talk 1-on-1?
Great! Give them the rules.
Providing feedback isn't a walk in the park. It's more like a puzzle you need to solve.
Here's what to avoid:
- Don't play the blame game when someone messes up.
- Skip the awkward timing – choose wisely.
- Pushing them harder isn't the solution, either.
- And please, no info dump, then bye-bye.
Now, let's unveil the real feedback magic:
+ Timing matters – pick the right moment.
+ Back up your thoughts with solid reasons.
+ Make your chat a comfy space to talk.
+ Listen, listen, and understand their side.
+ Inspire them to take the next steps.
You have to leave the session with the ultimate feeling of great conversation, mutual agreement, and improvement actions.
Remember, feedback is like a secret recipe for success. Spice it up, keep it real, and watch those improvements roll in. 🌟
Hope you found this helpful. :)
===
Whenever you're ready, there are 4 other ways I can help you:
1. Follow me on Linkedin to get daily tips on #agile, #team coaching, #scrum master growth, #agile leadership, #agilecoaching #culture
2. 💥Join our free community to taste our recipes to help you grow as an agilist and help your teams improve performance!
3. Join the Ultimate Team Performance Toolkit: a compound collection of 30 exercises, templates and strategies to measure and improve team dynamics and performance.
4. Join the Agile Team Coaching Program: A targeted coaching- facilitation system to help Scrum Masters and Agile Leaders to identify team hidden obstacles and turn those into a growth plan in 30-60 days.