Being able to give and receive effective feedback is one of the key skills for any professional to master. Indeed, according to management expert Ken Blanchard, “feedback is the breakfast of champions”. Whether you are speaking to clients, students or even friends, this is very much the case.
When we are committed to another person’s success and in helping them to prosper, it takes feedback to direct their attention to what they are doing well (what they should continue to do) and what there is for them to focus on improving. Yet, an often-missed opportunity in giving feedback is also to promote intrinsic motivation that strengthens someone’s sense of self and self-determination which may drive them to implement their learnings.
Feedback, when harnessed as a powerful tool for learning and development, is not simply an act of evaluating someone’s strengths and weaknesses in task performance, but championing them forward as an individual. In this respect, what does it take to give feedback that isn’t just informative, but also memorable and meaningful?
In this article, you will learn my “Championing Feedback” methodology and how you can use it to provide superb feedback every single time.
The Structure of Superb Feedback
Based on years of experience of working with private clients in the context of honing their performance, communication and leadership skills, the intention of “Championing Feedback” is to help the people to…
- see what they did well, such that they can focus on maintaining that ability;
- see what they can improve on, such that they can direct their learning efforts;
- see themselves as a bigger person pursuing bigger goals, beyond simply the task at hand, such that they foster a personal, intrinsic motivation to continue to develop.
This method may sound similar to the more commonly known “feedback sandwich” – starting with a positive comment, addressing something to improve on, and concluding on something good – with the crucial difference being that the ending note (i.e. the third component) is not something else that the recipient has done well, but rather, a positive statement about who they are and/or who they are becoming.
In this way, the process of offering Championing Feedback is comprised of three aspects:
- Capability Positive: “What you did well is…”
- Capability Constructive: “What you can do better is…”
- Identity Positive: “Who you are is…”
Capability is what you do; Identity is who you are. Championing Feedback focuses on integrating the observational power of the former with the inspirational power of the later. In teaching this framework, I always represent it as in the shape of an eye, with the sides representing the Positive and Constructive elements of Capability and the pupil capturing the essence of Identity:
How do you apply each of these phases in practice? The following three sections serve to effectively explain and exemplify each step of providing Championing Feedback.
At times, we can tend to be self-critical to the extent of being unappreciative of our current efforts. By focusing strongly on the negative or incomplete, it is easy to feel a sense of overwhelm. By offering positive feedback about what recipient has done, you give them the space to appreciate themselves, the opportunity to think about how they can keep it up, and the “permission” to direct more energy to other areas.
Effective positive feedback is specific and relevant, such as:
- “You spoke really smoothly. You had great flow.”
- “I like how you made a lot of eye contact. I felt like you connected with me.”
- “I appreciated your humorousness. It made your presentation fun.”
When giving positive feedback, avoid over-using phrases like “you did great”, “you are awesome”, or “you did a good job.” They are positive and encouraging, yet, without other feedback, they don’t help the other person see what you see that makes you say that!
When giving positive feedback about what someone has done, see yourself as casting a spotlight on what they have done well in a way that heightens their self-appreciation and cements it as a skill they will continue to employ.
Constructive feedback requires two things: a “point of improvement” plus a “means for improvement”. You need to share what you saw that someone could do better and provide them with specific, actionable advice that can start to be put to use immediately. When delivered well, constructive feedback leaves people feeling hopeful and optimistic about their ability to grow and develop.
Effective constructive feedback offers specific, actionable advice. Examples include:
- “You spoke really fast and had to look down at your notes a lot. What you can do to improve is to pause more. Give yourself the space to think and the time to look at us.”
- “It seems that you stopped a lot when you couldn’t remember exactly what you planned to say. To speak more smoothly, think of what else you can say to represent what you had in mind.”
- “You could engage in the discussion more by asking questions to the current speaker. The easiest way? Think about what you thought was interesting, then ask them how you would like them to say more about that. Ask more simple questions, and you will find it easier to come up with more insightful ones.”
When giving constructive feedback, see yourself as giving a gift: a lasting gift that will ensure their continued development during their time with you and beyond.
Who do you see the other person as? Who do you see them becoming? That’s the purpose of the final component of Championing Feedback. By concluding your feedback with a focus on the other person as an individual with goals, commitments and aspirations, you provide them with a greater context – like a “vessel” of sorts – to view, interpret and implement the feedback they’ve been given and the learnings they’ve gained. When included in your response, “positive identity” feedback leaves the recipient with a deep sense of gratitude and recognition that comes from being meaningfully acknowledged.
Effective positive identity feedback is specific, meaningful and acknowledging. Examples include:
- “I can see how committed you are to the wellbeing of others, and as you continue to improve, I can also see how the difference you make will only continue to grow and grow.”
- “Through what you do, I can feel the pride you take in your learning and in sharing what you know. Continue to put yourself out there and unapologetically apply yourself, and you’ll have all sorts of exciting new opportunities continue to come your way.”
- “Overall, I appreciate how eager you always are to engage with me and with the people around you. You leave me with a feeling of caring and being genuinely interested, because you are. Continue focusing on connection and you’ll increasingly yourself leaving the level of impact you want to create.”
We tend to be motivated by the desire to contribute and to make a difference. Whilst the examples given have been written to apply to a rather general audience, always remember to tailor your identity-focused feedback towards the person you are speaking to and to the values that they have.
When giving positive identity feedback, consider how you may see or awaken a part of someone that they may have never seen in themselves or seen as possible for themselves before. You never know the difference you can make with one comment.
A counterargument to this reasoning is that the strategy saves time through introducing structure and providing clarity. Whenever you prepare to give feedback, you now have a go-to reference for what you want to say and what effect you intend to have. Championing Feedback serves to create lasting, impactful, and reflective learning for whomever you speak to. It may not, to its fullest extent, always be needed – yet, where there is opportunity, it can provide moments of interaction that make the difference during a critical moment of someone’s time with you.
- When giving positive feedback about what someone has done, see yourself as casting a spotlight on what they have done well in a way that heightens their self-appreciation and cements it as a skill they will continue to employ.
- When giving constructive feedback, see yourself as giving a gift: a lasting gift that will ensure their continued development during their time with you and beyond.
- When giving positive identity feedback, consider how you may see or awaken a part of someone that they may have never seen in themselves or seen as possible for themselves before. You never know the difference you can make with one comment.
What difference can you make the next time you speak to someone? You never know the impact that a few words may have.
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