In the workplace or any place of learning, feedback is an important part of the experience. We use feedback to gauge whether or not we are performing well. Whether it be in a class or on the sales floor.

Warm-up
  1. Do you have to give/receive feedback to/from colleagues as part of your job? How do you feel about this?
  2. Can you think of another time you gave or received feedback outside of the workplace?
  3. When someone receives feedback, they can become defensive (quick to react negatively when receiving criticism). Can this be prevented?
  4. Is feedback something that can only be used in a professional setting such as work or school?

VOCABULARY:

Cynical - distrusting the motives and intentions of others; believing the worst of other


To have a word with someone - to speak to someone in private


To hone - to develop a skill or talent by working hard at it


Innate - existing from birth and not learned or taught

To sugarcoat something - to make something difficult or unpleasant sound more attractive and acceptable


To have an eye on something - to be particularly perceptive about something


Read the following text and answer the following questions:

In an attempt to inject some positivity into their feedback, many managers rely on sandwiching negative feedback between two positive comments. This is also known as a feedback sandwich, saying something nice, then saying what you really wanted to say, and saying something nice again. However, if feedback is routinely given this way, employees can start to perceive positive feedback as simply a form of sugarcoating the negatives, thus diminishing its value. Instead, positive feedback should not simply be seen as something to cushion the negative, but should be delivered so as to reinforce and encourage good performance. Below are three tips to help you make positive feedback count.

Don’t always follow up positive feedback with negative feedback

If positive and negative feedback are always given together, the positives can become devalued and ignored. There should always be a time when positive feedback is focused on and you should resist the temptation to offer constructive criticism.

Cultivate a ‘growth mindset’
It is always important to remember our brain has the ability to develop skills and talents that we might not have been good at to start with. This is also known as the ‘growth mindset’. Many of us tend to focus our praise on the end result and seemingly innate talents, e.g. ‘You really have an eye for details’ or ‘You have a real talent for organising events’. However, research suggests that by focusing on the process of how things are done - praising effort, experimentation and problem-solving strategies - we can encourage the development of new skills and the continued honing of talents. Remember to praise the process too!

Create a culture of offering positive feedback

Giving positive feedback should be part of your team/department/company culture. Don’t wait for special moments like appraisals to give feedback. Offer informal positive feedback when making small talk or when walking down a corridor. Feedback doesn’t have to only come from the higher ranks either. Encourage peer feedback among colleagues and actively ask them for positive comments on each other’s performances on tasks.

If there is a cynical view of positive feedback in the office, it may take some time to change everyone’s way of thinking. However, by embracing positive feedback, in the long run, you can not only enhance working performance but also enrich the quality of life in the workplace.
  1. What is a feedback sandwich?
  2. The ‘growth mindset’ idea is that…
  3. How can we create a culture of positive feedback?
Please answer the following questions:

What does feedback mean to you?

How do you respond to feedback? Is there a better way to respond?

Do you agree that feedback should be specific, frequent and timely? Why (not)?

How often do you give/receive feedback?

What is your opinion on the following statement? - “Praise in public, criticize in private.”

Do you or your boss keep track of achievements for each person on the team?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtl5UrrgU8c - LeeAnn Renninger on Feedback