Feedback Strategies

In the first article I read on feedback, Try Feedforward Instead of Feedback, I learned what the concept of feedforward was. Instead of focusing on what was in the past and how to change what was already done, feedforward is based on giving suggestions on how to do better next time. This takes the person providing people with feedback a way out of the position of being an expert, and instead puts them in a place where they can help their fellow team members with useful advice for the future. I want to try this strategy with my team members. I am a team lead, and I have found that I am not often the most precise at giving effective feedback. I think using feedforward will change my feedback from what they take as judgement into a hopefully positive learning experience. I do get hung up on what they messed up on in the past because I know I have to go back and fix it, but with this method, maybe I can help correct their choices before we have a bad outcome.

What I learned from How to Give Feedback Without Sounding Like a Jerk was how to provide useful feedback. I often give feedback after I find something wrong. I do not often ask if they want feedback, so in that way I do not put the ball in their court. I feel with this way, I may come across as if I am just constantly judging those people on my team. I have a quite expressive face, so I believe that they have mentioned that they do not want to see the disappointment on my face when they mess up. By following the listed steps, I can probably improve my constructive feedback process with my team members. I can give them the why, put myself on a more level playing field with them, ask them if they want to hear it, and be honest with them. This honest approach will help give a why, how, and hopefully give them a reason to want to improve on their own.

Image Information: Communication, Pixabay