5 Ways to Keep Pedaling to Provide Inclusive Feedback

Uplifting Conversations provides impactful tools for all to thrive through a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens! Have ideas about what we should discuss next time? Let me know in the comments using?#UpliftThisConversation?or email me at?[email protected] .

As we near the end of the year many of us are planning for 2024 and having conversations with our colleagues. Oftentimes that means providing feedback. Justin Ponder contributes to our newsletter today with ways we can give inclusive feedback to others - read on!

The park filled with laughter. In the open field behind me, Noah was learning to ride a bike. His parents swelled with pride before shouting, “Don’t hit that tree!” In a matter of seconds, Noah took a 90-degree turn and, you guessed it, ran into the only tree in that empty acre. The family walked home, carrying the bike and Noah. As I watched them, I wondered how much feedback may have caused the problem.

In the professional world, many leaders focus on negative criticism. They stay silent when people are riding well. When they do speak up, they threaten with trees. Even well-meaning leaders can be clumsy. Like Noah’s parents, while encouraging, they can’t help themselves but fall into bad habits that contribute to others falling.?

This problem worsens when it comes to people from underrepresented groups. Spending their professional lives as the first, the only, or one of the few, they question their value more than most. For them, sloppy feedback adds on to decades of overwhelm that leads to higher turnover.

But there is hope. With a few changes, leaders can provide inclusive feedback. By adjusting our responses in subtle ways, we can inspire confidence. With a little editing, we can improve performance. With a few linguistic tricks, we can improve morale, productivity, and retention in ways that help achieve organizational success.

1. Focus on the Future

Most feedback concentrates on the past. “You wrote a poor report. You missed a meeting. You exceeded expectations.” Detailing prior faults suggests people can’t overcome them. Fixating on previous successes implies people have passed their prime. Go further. Proofread your feedback. Look for instances of verbs in the past tense. Whenever possible, replace them with the future tense. To inspire people to look towards the good they can do, focus on the future.

2. Focus on Tasks

Many reviewers talk about how a reviewee “is, are, were, was.” “You ARE tardy. She IS hardworking. We WERE great. He WAS a great team member.” By saying, “John IS X,” I suggest John is, was, and always will be X. We can do better. Use language that reminds everyone that reviewees are more than what could ever appear in a review. Instead of judging what a person is, assess what they do. To achieve this, replace “to be” verbs that label the person with ones that focus on the person’s actions. People can have bad days. They can change. Move beyond trying to judge what a person “is” and focus on the tasks they do.

3. Use the Positive Form

The negative form means words like “no, never, no one, not” or words that end with “n’t.” The problem with feedback that uses the negative form is that it encourages the behavior it tries to discourage. The human brain can’t suppress a thought. It can only substitute thoughts. So when we say, “Don’t be tardy,” the subconscious focuses on tardiness in ways that make us tardy. Instead, say, “Be punctual.” This statement leads with the desired behavior. It also gives the mind a chance to give singular focus to punctuality. To achieve success, edit your words, and use the positive form.

4. Use the Imperative Form

The “imperative form” refers to statements that begin with verbs that instruct. Make the first word of the sentence an active verb that tells receivers what should happen. Turn “You wrote a poor report” into “Add more detail in reports.” Revise “You missed a meeting” into “Attend all meetings.” Flip “You failed to finish the document” to “Finish the document by Tuesday.” Providing clarity, simplicity, and solutions, inclusive feedback hinges on the imperative form.

5. Start with Strengths

But the imperative form by itself can sound like a series of exhausting orders. Instructions like “add,” “attend,” and “finish” must follow some important prework. People from marginalized groups experience innumerable slights. Directly and indirectly, they are told they aren’t competent, secure, or safe in their profession. In this context, it’s important to start feedback with strengths. Combat anxiety by praising strengths. You will have to offer areas for improvement. Even in those situations, start with a few things the person is doing well before detailing areas of opportunity. This simple method will increase the likelihood that your feedback will inspire rather than overwhelm.

Keep Pedaling!

Noah’s parents wanted the best for him. They showed love, affection, and support. But their feedback worked against them. Once they said, “Don’t hit that tree,” Noah did. But imagine if they had said, “Pedal on!” By focusing on the future, tasks, the positive form, the imperative form, and strengths, they can encourage the success they seek. The same is true for leaders. We can inspire our teams instead of overwhelming them. We can increase success for individuals and our entire organizations. To achieve that, we can use inclusive feedback. Sometimes, it’s as easy as telling our team members to “Keep pedaling!”

Here are additional actionable ways to improve DEI practices -

Download the Bridge Builders ebook

Download the Going Beyond Cultural Celebrations mini E-book

Take our free DEI Assessment

Being an?#ALLY ?is ongoing work. Any uplifting impact we make now, no matter how big or small, will build a better world for future leaders and generations to come. Let’s keep working together to effect change.?