4 key questions before giving feedback
Travis Thomas
No-Nonsense Leadership Coaching and Programs That Deliver Results as CEO & Executive Coach @ Team Buffalo. MBA, GAICD, BPsych, Grad Dip Psychology Advanced (in-progress)
Ahoy!
Last week, we discussed knowing your A, B, and Cs. If you missed that one, click here to access the LinkedIn article.
On the back of that, you'd likely be thinking: "$hit, I know at least one person I need to have a difficult convo with (C player?)". That's great, but... how do you know what you should and shouldn't bother with?
Here are the four key questions. More on that below:
Is it true?
Do you know, for a fact, without a doubt, that it is true? What are your sources of information? Is it third party and coming from a dodgy source, such as a disgruntled team member, or is it something you've observed firsthand several times? It's critical to ensure the topic you're about to raise is actually grounded in facts.
Is it necessary?
Does the person need the feedback? For example, if they had made a minor mistake in a presentation but otherwise performed exceptionally well, is it really necessary to raise the minor item? If it's a pattern or significantly impacts your culture (sacred cows or otherwise), then it is necessary.
Is it kind?
Closely aligned to the "necessary" criteria is the question of kindness. If someone is a nervous public speaker and has just facilitated their first team meeting, is mentioning to them that they mumbled a bit really kind? Context, intent and overall outcome all matter here.
Is it helpful?
Does the feedback help them or the team (or both) move forward productively? If the person made a minor mistake that will never happen again, then giving feedback isn't helpful. If there are future opportunities for them to get it right (or wrong), then saying something may be helpful.
The central theme behind this is that context, intent and repeatability all matter. Of course, this is a short crash course on the topic, but it provides you?with?a quick question set for when you're unsure whether or not to raise the issue.
Ready to unpack your team performance and lift your game?
Shoot me a message, and we can get stuck in.
Keep fighting the good fight.