What do you do if you're struggling to give and receive feedback in a Facilitation role?

If, you are struggling to give feedback, it is important to remain authentic and admit that you don't have all the answers. Explain to the person who has requested the feedback that you will do some research and come back them, but always follow through and deliver the feedback at a later stage. If, you are struggling to elicit feedback, you can either ask for direct feedback from individuals in the group who are more vocal, and thus more likely to feel comfortable to respond in the group context, or you could divide the group into smaller groups and give them five minutes to discuss a problem, and then get each smaller group to elect a person to explain their contributions in a brief feedback session.

At the beginning of each workshop I facilitate, I am very open about not knowing everything and that we are co-creating a learning environment so many of the answers to questions would come from the room, rather than only me. If I am unclear about the answer to a particular question, I would open it up to the floor while I think about my own response. Alternatively, if it is a fact-based question, I would give the person feedback the following day or via email.

When engaging, especially with young people, I prioritize a fun and inclusive environment. I kick things off with activities that get everyone involved, like paired brainstorming or group discussions. We start with what they already know, building on their existing foundation. It's important for them to feel valued and understand the activity's goal. I speak their language and give them ownership by incorporating their ideas and tasks. I also check if they understand how they are to give feedback and make the process easy or resonate with them

Before giving or asking for feedback make sure you know what it is for. When the purpose is clear it makes it easier to have difficult conversations. Make sure to start the conversation stating why the feedback is important at this point and what should everyone expect as a follow up activity. "Feedback" without intent is just empty criticism (if negative) or irrelevant (if positive).

Développer sa confiance en soi : Se familiariser avec les techniques de feedback: Apprenez à formuler un feedback constructif et positif. S'entra?ner à donner et à recevoir du feedback: Mettez en pratique ces techniques avec des amis ou des collègues. Se concentrer sur les points forts: Reconnaissez et valorisez les contributions des autres.

Siempre le tememos por la percepción que otros tienen acerca de nosotros, sobre todo si eres un facilitador, te comparto algunas sugerencias: 1. Asegúrate que te apasiona esta área de lo contrario te genera una efecto negativo. 2. Prepárate, es necesario volverte un experto en el tema y si algo se te escapa dilo con franqueza No lo se, investiga y responde. 3. De qué manera puedes mejorar? Identificando tus oportunidades de mejorar valga la redundancia....lo que no se mide no se puede mejorar. 4. Practica la escucha activa....escuchar para comprender no para responder. 5. Mantener actualizado con las prácticas de ense?anza...vital

Make feedback sessions a regular ritual with your team, this way the fear of conflict will reduce over time. And giving and receiving feedback will be normalized.

In the context of receiving feedback, if you feel the group is hesitant to give critical feedback about you as a facilitator. Try to rephrase the question and ask them to provide critical feedback 'on the system' or the 'methodology'. Try to depersonalise the exercise and ask them to list for you the qualities they would like to see in a facilitator, the skill-set they consider important and aspects to avoid. Take attentive note and they self-reflect on how strong you think you are in each one of those skills or competences.

Fear and conflict are part of the a corporate job. when you have different minds and personalities is to ensure you work with them to achieve the overall business goal. If you have individuals who are not comfortable in taking feedback in a public space you can either give them a one on one feedback or even construct an activity where in they take feedback from colleagues of same designation . you can use positive statements and present areas of improvements . Avoid using negative words . Ensure before you do the feedback session the environment and the mood is in a happy space . Comfort levels make individuals build trust in you and they are open to take suggestions and feedback.

It takes effective listening skills to give an effective feedback. Experience in a field of discussion is a good edge too. Sometimes, asking further questions can help one gain clarity on the kind of feedback expected.

If you're looking to learn new strategies to give feedback and productively manage difficult conversations, I highly recommend checking out the book "Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High" by Joseph Grenny, et al. Early in my career, I was fortunate to read this book and attend a training session, and the skills I learned from it have stayed with me ever since. "Crucial Conversations" provides practical tools and strategies for navigating challenging conversations effectively, especially in high-stakes situations. Whether you're giving feedback to team members or managing difficult conversations with stakeholders, this book offers invaluable insights to enhance your communication and conflict resolution skills.

Practice makes perfect, there is no substitute for regular practice and reflection. A point to note is that practice MUST be complimented by reflections or we risk reinforcing the wrong skills.

When giving feedback some skills are important 1. Do not provide judgement, but focus on what you observed. Example: Instead of saying "the last part of the activity was very boring" say "the energy dropped a little bit during the last part of the activity" 2. Try to be specific and avoid vague statements like "your introduction lacks depth" but say "the introduction could be enhanced by adding an example or a case study..." 3. Do not focus on problem but offer a solution. 4. Always create perspective, I call it "the way forward" When receiving feedback, it is important to : 1. take a deep breath, listen carefully, acknowledge the feedback, and consider the feedback without taking it personally.

Lack of skills is a very broad cause to unpack, but it's true. A lack of facilitation skills could certainly lead to struggle when it comes to giving and receiving feedback in a facilitator role. Once the lack of skills has been identified (which is the hard part), it's important to rectify it. How do you rectify a lack of skills? Experience, experience, experience! Training helps too. But especially experience.

Ask a "clarifying question" artfully & timely, as moderator/facilitator: respectful way to open up rather than shut down conversation w/a presenter. Often, speakers get "on a roll"; prompts "take a beat" to help audience catch their breath or avoid a misunderstood point, if presenter vectored off topic or needs help being brought back. Audience attention spans are getting shorter, so back-and-forth conversation is less "interruption" than opportunity for listeners to digest or refocus. In focus group, panel or wingback-chair format, often the best ideas are left silently brewing in a quiet participant or audience member until Facilitator intervenes. That's the job. Precise Qs, not vague, poorly-worded platitudes, advance insightful convos.

Giving feedback can be a delicate dance, especially when the recipient isn't initially open to it. One effective strategy I've found is to initiate the conversation by asking, "Are you open to feedback, or can I give you some feedback?" This simple question sets the stage for an open dialogue and signals to the recipient that you have valuable insights to share. When the recipient responds with a "yes," it's a green light to proceed. Their acknowledgment serves as an open invitation, and their brain is primed to receive your feedback constructively. However, if you encounter a "no" response, it's a clear indicator that they're not in a mindset to receive feedback at that moment and redirect your energy elsewhere.

When you are stuck while giving/receiving Feedback during a Facilitation session, there are some basics that you need to adhere to as a Facilitator: 1] Self Awareness 2] Empathy with the Participant 3] An Open Mind Approach to the Situation 4] A welcoming attitude towards different perspectives 5] Root Cause Analysis of the situation 6] Empathetic Conflict Management technique 7] Inviting a 3rd Party Intervention if necessary.

Créer une culture d'équipe positive : Encourager le dialogue ouvert: Favorisez une communication ouverte et transparente au sein de l'équipe. Célébrer les réussites: Reconnaissez et valorisez les contributions individuelles et collectives. Mettre l'accent sur l'apprentissage et le développement: Encouragez les membres de l'équipe à apprendre de leurs erreurs et à s'améliorer continuellement. Gérer les émotions négatives : Rester calme et professionnel: évitez de laisser vos émotions influencer votre communication. Se concentrer sur les faits: Restez objectif et évitez les jugements personnels. Prendre le temps de réfléchir: Si vous êtes submergé par vos émotions, prenez le temps de vous calmer avant de donner du feedback.