You're facilitating a feedback session with employees. How can you ensure it's productive?

Always define the purpose of any meeting. Every meeting should have a charter - purpose, scope, and outcomes. That defines the meeting and ensures that all who attend know why. This helps in feedback sessions so that it remains feedback and not gripe.

First meet with the executive sponsor. Tease out what the sponsor is trying to learn. Your discussion with them will help you grasp what questions to ask and who to include in the feedback session. Questions to ask the sponsor in a prep meeting could be: 1. What kinds of information do you want? 2. What types of information are of particular importance? 3. How do you envision the information helping you to improve (a) customer satisfaction, (b) business operations, (c) employee engagement, etc... Additionally, helping the sponsor identify how they will use the information in decision-making helps you lead a well-focused feedback session with a clear target. You'll also give your sponsor high value insights to improve their decision-making.

Giving feedback is crucial to making sure employees believe their voices are being heard and that their ideas count. Employees who speak the most during a productive feedback session are those whose facilitator skillfully directs the flow of the conversation to emphasize positive feedback, express gratitude for the feedback they receive, identify areas for improvement, and address neutral feedback, which is spoken about topics beyond their circle of influence. The greatest way to achieve high productivity is to carefully consider the negative criticism and let the employee develop a plan for improvement that both parties can agree upon. For a productive feedback session, try the simplified Start-Stop-Continue approach!

I had some good experience with one particular question that I ask at the beginning of most meetings: "What do you hope to achieve from our session/meeting together? What would be a small sign for you that things are moving in the right direction?" 3 possible benefits: - It helps the participants articulate their goals for the session. This sets a clear direction for the session - It encourages the participants to think in terms of observable, achievable changes. This helps in setting realistic and measurable indicators of success, making it easier to track progress - It empowers the participants to take ownership of their learning or development journey. It shifts the focus from the facilitator-led to a more participant-centered approach

We need to use the sandwich technique in video storytelling and follow the following steps: 1. Prepare in advance. 2. Create a safe and supportive environment. 3. Set clear expectations. 4. Practice active listening. 5. Ask open-ended questions. 6. Provide specific and constructive feedback. 7. Encourage self-reflection. 8. Foster two-way communication. 9. Celebrate achievements. 10. Follow-up and support.

Feedback is gathered from the employees - not you, so plan an agenda that enables the employees to focus on specific feedback rather than general comments.

Indeed, the quality of the feedback will depend on the information you have, as we would say (anticipate what might be needed to obtain the feedback we expect). Remembering, that good feedback will include the reasons why it cannot be solved in different ways as well as why it should be solved as proposed and how we could work together for a good collaboration and successful result. You should not just say no or yes, you should give reasons and proposals for improvement

é muito importante no processo de orienta??o lembrar sempre que o Feedback é uma a??o relacional de duas vias. Da mesma forma que devemos ter a estrutura para falar com empatia, também devemos ouvir com empatia. Garanta que as pessoas estejam prontas para se colocarem na arena e perceberem está prática enquanto elemento de crescimento e n?o como uma crítica pessoal.

Building on the fundamental approach of gathering accurate data and framing feedback constructively, it’s also vital to recognize the nature of the feedback being given. This involves understanding whether the feedback is meant for coaching, evaluation, or appreciation, as outlined in “Thanks for the Feedback” (which I would highly recommend everyone to read!). Each type serves a distinct purpose: coaching to develop skills, evaluation to assess performance, and appreciation to acknowledge efforts. Integrating this understanding with the SBI model enhances the effectiveness of the feedback, ensuring it’s not only well-prepared but also well-received and impactful!

If you give performance feedback, facts, examples, etc., are crucial. If you are hosting engagement feedback but have data to show the audience, you are not after true feedback and are trying to move the comments in a particular direction. As a transmitter of feedback having data to support your voice is always great. In the end, it comes down to what feedback you want to truly receive and what feedback you want to give. If you want honesty, you need to allow for honesty.

It's also important to give space for those to give feedback in writing (i.e form/survey). Everyone does not always feel comfortable sharing their thoughts vocally.

Absolutely agree that it’s essential to create a safe space wherein team members can share their perspectives for us to create an action plan to make the experience better. It’s also important to be able to listen and give opportunities to everyone in the team for contributing their thoughts and feelings.

Feedback cannot happen in isolation. Supervisors must begin by establishing a trust-based relationship to allow for effective feedback to lead to growth. Start with trust first.

This comes down to the reputation of the feedback session owner. If they always embody fairness, feedback sessions can be open, safe, and productive, even if it is a tough conversation. You can never control the other person. You can only control yourself if you go into the session open, honest, and calm; the session will go that way. Tough conversations can be tough to give, as the session owner understanding EQ is important to keep the session from spiraling.

One of my favorite approaches (for each session) is having the team create the specific topics to discuss (do it live right then and there), rank and order them, then discuss them… then begin the feedback session. Depending on your time constraints use time boxing and parking lot methods. I see too many in a position of power talk about what they want, what they perceive, and overwhelmingly consume the time available. Let’s get to what the team wishes to discuss… If the session isn’t engaging, someone should investigate why. There could be so many factors…

As a facilitator, you probably want to go further than a free for all discussion. To mitigate group dynamics I often use a combination of workshop techniques like sailboat or anonymous feedback on post its together with nonviolent communication or liberating structures. Use 1-2-4-all or what I need from you for instance.

In my experience it’s important to provide options for how people can give feedback! For example, everyone doesn’t feel comfortable sharing openly in a group setting, so, make sure you have another way or option for them to provide feedback as some people like to process individually before sharing their ideas openly and some people never speak up. Make sure feedback is given in a way that’s not punitive and invites other perspectives and voices to be apart of the conversation.

One thing I have found helpful is to define the purpose or objectives of the session right at the beginning. Feedback must also be objective.

Another technique that you could implement to obtain feedback and that has worked a lot for me and that I also like, is the white elephant. Everyone has the opportunity to listen to everyone, see what they consider most important and give their opinion based on what others commented and reaching the point that everyone agrees

Mixer des phases de production écrite anonymes puis un dialogue orale pour permettre à l'ensemble des personnes et des points de vue de s'exprimer

Following up is the key. Before leaving the feedback conversation, it is important to set expectations on the next steps and then do a 1 or 2 mins quick informal check ins to ensure person is working on feedback and if need any support, it can be quickly resolved.

Actions truly speak louder than words. You have to not just follow up but ensure you take the appropriate action when the results come in to continue to guide the team to the desired destination. The hard part is taking the correct action in appreciating the way each specific employee responds best to. One size fits all often means it fits none and rewarding the wrong person can deflate the team just as much as some people can receive negative feedback. We also have to be prepared to hold our people accountable and continue coaching or using corrective action when we need to tailor our initial approach as it matures through the plan.

In agreement with the above and adding a little about it, effectively after having obtained the feedback. It is important to work on it until it is finished and close the point

Adding to the point of celebrating achievement, this can be implemented in a variety of ways. Consider: - holding a staff celebration to share achievements of multiple members - posting achievements on social media page or community bulletin - sharing achievements that relate to personal goals in addition to career goals (baby on the way, graduated with new, etc) - create a space for ongoing communication and questions - ask for feedback

I agree with all the points written and would also encourage individuals to continue the PDSA (plan, do, study, act) cycle to inform their next steps. This cyclically framework allows for implementation, the gathering of data, an analysis of the data, and next steps in the process.

When I'm seeking feedback for an activity I like to take a sheet of paper and draw a line down the middle. Label the left side "Pluses" and the right side as "Deltas". Then ask the audience "What went well (pluses) and what should we change for the next time (deltas)." Document as they provide feedback. The audience will usually start with pluses. Let them get warmed up with the pluses, then ask what they would change for the deltas. Make sure everyone gets a chance to contribute. Wrap up by telling them that feedback is a gift, and you treasure the gift they just gave you.

The best advice for facilitating a feedback session with employees is to create an atmosphere of trust and openness. Start by clearly stating the purpose and ground rules to ensure a respectful, non-judgmental environment. Encourage honest, constructive feedback, and practice active listening. Acknowledge and validate the feedback received, and follow up with actionable steps. This approach fosters a positive and productive dialogue, promoting growth and understanding within your team. Ignoring these steps, or launching right into the facilitation without establishing that trust will only result in a bad experience.

It is important to create a safe and open environment for the team to talk openly. It requires patience, intentional effort, and certain strategies 1.) Gradually build trust - initiate one-on-one with each team member. Understand their personality and preferences. Invest time in building personal connections, and show genuine interest in their perspectives. 2.) It's ok to receive feedback anonymously initially. Be flexible and open to receiving anonymous input as a starting point for open communication. 3.) Lead by example- As a leader, demonstrate openness in your communication and decision-making. Share your thoughts, challenges, and experiences to set an example for the team.

Many times the agenda is far too ambitious for what is possible in time allotted. Decide what is most important to cover and what you would like people to walk away with. Allow more time than you think it will take so the conversations can develop. You may also want to consider hiring a facilitator to facilitate the meeting so you can be part of the conversation.

Faciliter des séances de feedback constructif avec les employés pour instaurer la confiance et l'ouverture nécessite une préparation minutieuse. Tout d'abord, il convient de mettre en avant les succès, de choisir un lieu propice et d'adopter une approche positive. L'écoute active, la participation encourageante et la transparence sont des éléments essentiels pour favoriser un dialogue fructueux. Ainsi, les responsables créent un environnement propice à la croissance professionnelle et au renforcement des liens d'équipe, contribuant de ce fait au succès collectif de l'entreprise.