Fostering a Culture of Effective Feedback

As of the last few months, I've had numerous occasions to ruminate on the purpose, efficacy, and goals of feedback. It's a risky business to give someone unsolicited feedback, for example, and it is difficult to do so tactfully. So, most folks simply don't bother to the detriment of themselves and the person being deprived of needful insight into their blind spots.

In a retrospective today we were asked some poignant questions about how to foster a feedback culture. Initially as a joke, I challenged our project sponsor to use the word as an acronym to define itself, a la "GNU". As I began thinking about my own description of effective feedback, some ideas came to mind.

FEEDBACK

Fast—feedback should be given as close in time to the event that triggered the feedback as possible. Feedback given too long after an event risks being revisionist, or perceived as such, due to our fallible memories, making it more difficult to agree on what happened. Feedback given soon after an precipitating event will be received in context and have a proportionately stronger impact. It's much easier to take remedial, corrective action given incremental, regular feedback; likewise, regular positive feedback can raise morale and engender positive espirit de corps.

Expected—make no mistake, the surest way to have feedback blow up in your face is for it to find your interlocutor surprised to be receiving it. Different social situations have different norms of feedback expectations. In most situations that come to mind, thoughtful feedback from a "superior" to a "subordinate" is almost assuredly going to be received gladly, whereas the reverse is nearly equally likely to not go so well. A similar gradient exists between a senior and a junior employee, and peers are not likely to expect any feedback from each other at all. The challenge is a cultural one, and cultures are shaped by their rituals. Effort must be expended to normalize feedback, making it an expected part of day-to-day life in the culture.

Empathetic—how would you feel if you were receiving the feedback you intend to give? This is the most important question you can ask as it informs all other aspects of feedback. Some feedback can be delivered within earshot of others; often a quick private chat is more apropos. Before ever giving feedback, try to imagine being the receiver.

Definite—feedback should not be opinion and conjecture. Details should be concrete and accurate. The feedback must be clear. Saying, "you are acting like a jerk," is spurious; "I am put on edge when say X, and I fear others may be as well," does not invite interpretation nor ascribe subjective qualities. If the receiver cannot understand the feedback, it is likely to have a deleterious effect on the relationship.

Beneficial—it should be obvious that if there is not benefit to the team or the receiver the feedback will likely have a negative effect. What's important is that you can articulate the benefit of giving the feedback. If the receiver acts in a responsible way vis-à-vis the feedback, how does our situation improve?

Actionable—articulating the benefit necessarily highlights the question of appropriate actions that address the feedback. If feedback is not actionable, it cannot be beneficial. The giver and receiver should work together to identify action that can be taken to incorporate the feedback. This discussion can lead to a fuller understanding of the feedback that was given and how it is manifested in behavior.

Considered—much worse than delaying feedback too long is a rash, immediate response. The qualities that make for effective feedback are not to be evaluated retroactively; they should be considered before the feedback is given in order to ensure good outcomes.

Kind—"If you can't say something [nicely], say nothing." It is entirely possible to provide, accurate, beneficial, efficacious feedback and to do so with a negative spirit. Feedback is not revenge; it is a dish best served warm. Kindness is king, and if you want to get the most of a feedback culture, it must be compulsory. The goal of feedback is to give rise to high functioning teams, and a key indicator of such teams is social sensitivity.