Giving Feedback

Feedback is about helping you grow, not about correcting you. Feedback is not about changing someone or being right about something. It is a conversation with an honest intent or purpose to contribute either generally to someone’s development or more specifically by highlighting something that’s standing in the way of their objective or something they’re striving for. In this sense, you are giving feedback for the other person’s sake.

When to give feedback?

Feedback needs to be shared in context (“about this specific project/task”) and as close as possible to the “real moment” (“this happened yesterday”). For example:

• At the end of a sprint: How could the sprint have run more smoothly?

• During handovers: Handovers between functional groups are likely to surface opportunities for rich feedback.

• When you identify an opportunity for improvement: What could you do better?

• When you see good work being done: Positive recognition is essential to making sure we keep on doing what we're awesome at. You can also use our Recognition Slack channel to make this public!

Before providing any feedback… Get the mandate.

Is this the right moment to offer feedback? Do I have a clear Yes from the other person? Make sure the other person is in the right mindset to receive feedback.

If the answer to this question is YES, continue with the process and steps below.

If the answer is NO, check with the person when would be a better time for the conversation (ie. later today, tomorrow, next week, etc.)

Follow these steps to give feedback using Non-Violent Communications

1. Observation:

Start with a fact and be brief. This is pure and objective data about the situation. What is the essence of the message? Is it something that they are doing (a behavior), their way of being (a mindset), or a way of relating to something (an attitude or viewpoint)?

Tell them straight. Be candid. Use “I-statements” and phrases like “To be honest, what I experience is… *“What I find is that ...”, “My experience is ...”, “What I see is ...“*etc.

2. Feelings:

How am I feeling about what happened? (ie. Glad, Sad, Mad, Afraid, Ashamed, etc.). Sharing feelings when giving feedback helps us make it more personal and show our peers that their actions impacted us. Instead of putting the focus on the other person (“You - Statement), try to make it personal using an “I - Statement”.

You never listen to me - > I feel disrespected when you don't listen to me

You are always late -> I am worried when you are late because it impacts the project

You are so unhelpful -> I feel stressed when you don't help me

You were wrong in the meeting yesterday -> Your behaviour during the meeting made me feel belittled

3. Needs:

Please share your needs. What's important for you? What do you need to be able to ... (work, communicate, etc.)?

4. Ask "What do you think? Can we explore this together?" and then Listen:

If the person doesn't recognize/accept what you are sharing it’s going to be very difficult for them to change. The whole point here is to try not to rush into any solutions or impose our ideas on others without having the opportunity to listen to the other person and get a better understanding of what happened.

Don’t jump into solutions. Don’t fill the space with more questions or details. Be curious, try to listen actively, and validate their perspective (validating does not mean agreeing).

Allow yourself the time to understand the other person's context, reasons, etc. Your feedback reflects only one perspective; others might see the same situation differently.

5. Requests & Solutions:

Help the other person own and act upon your feedback. Make them part of the problem-solving process, possible next steps, and solutions.

Allow the other person to come up with ideas/solutions first. When you have listened to the other person's context and possible solutions/actions.

“Would you be willing to also consider / do …?”, “I need / would like…” (state what you would like to happen)

Discuss the next steps together, ensuring that the goals outlined are achievable within a reasonable time frame.

Example “You have a peer who constantly misses deadlines”

1. Observation: “You missed 3 out of 4 deadlines last month

2. Feelings: “This makes me feel frustrated because we won't be able to deliver the project to the client on time”

3. Needs: “For me it's really important we perform as a team and give a good image to our partners ”

3. Ask "What do you think? Can we explore this together" & Listen" (Just listen. Be curious. Be silent and hear what the other person has to say)

5. Requests & Solutions: “Thanks! Great idea. Would you be willing to also consider/do...?”

Do you need any help when preparing your feedback? Not sure how to give it? Please reach out to People & Culture, the Exec Team, or anyone you trust for help.