1. CONSULTING TOOLKIT
Consulting Skills:
Giving and Receiving Feedback
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2. If you are skilled at giving feedback, you will gain a reputation as
a “people developer” in your organisation
SKILL LEARNING CYCLE
Reflection Action
Feedback
If you give good feedback, People
you will accelerate the speed = Developer!
other people build their skills
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3. If you are skilled at receiving feedback, you will be a guided
missile in your future career
GOOD FEEDBACK MAKES THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN…..
A Shotgun A Guided Missile
http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=aU1ukWWOFqg&feat
ure=related
If you can get good feedback and act on it, you will always hit
your target however many mistakes you make
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4. There are three types of feedback, each with different purposes
TYPES OF FEEDBACK
Purpose of the feedback
Positive/Affirming • Motivate
• Help others understand their strengths
Constructive/Developmental
• Help others grow and develop
• Help others see how their behaviour
impacts others
Negative/Critical
• Dominate
• Diminish
• Hurt
Before you give feedback, check in: what is your purpose?
Don’t bother with feedback if you suspect a negative/critical purpose
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5. Affirming and developmental feedback are gifts to your team
mates
TYPES OF FEEDBACK
Positive/
Affirming
Both intended
to CONTRIBUTE
Constructive/ to the receiver
Developmental
Keep “gift” in your mind while
giving and receiving feedback
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6. Your gift will be more welcome if your feedback is fact-based
and not judgemental
HOW TO GIVE FEEDBACK
1) This is what I observed. Be specific –
FACT-BASED e.g. Not “Good job!” but “You handled
FEEDBACK that question about cost reductions
very well. You re-stated the question
to check you understood, then spoke
NOT to the questioner’s unspoken concern
about job losses directly and
sympathetically”
JUDGEMENT 2) This was the impact on me
3) Then hand over to receiver to
comment/ask questions
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7. Feedback is like dim sum………..best served fresh
WHEN TO GIVE FEEDBACK
•Immediate
FACT-BASED •Frequent
FEEDBACK •Face-to-face
•1 on 1
•Informal
NOT •One point at a time (no knuckle sandwich)
JUDGEMENT
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8. There are ways to give feedback that make it likely your gift will
be rejected
HOW NOT TO GIVE FEEDBACK
FACT-BASED • Avoid emotive language, e.g.
bad/stupid/irresponsible
FEEDBACK • Avoid exaggeration, e.g. “you always…”,
“you never…”
• Avoid interpreting motivation/causes of
NOT the behaviour; ask!
• Avoid feedback that is not actionable, e.g.
“your ugly face keeps distracting me”
JUDGEMENT • Don’t share “how to fix you” unless
requested
• No second hand feedback, e.g. “the others
think……”
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9. Receiving feedback is just as much a skill as giving feedback
TIPS FOR RECEIVING FEEDBACK
…..invite it……ask for it, give permission, derisk it for the giver,
appreciate it afterwards
…..help the other person give their gift…..if you feel the feedback is
Negative/Critical, help them make it fact-based and non-judgemental
…..understand the feedback fully…..active listening, curious about your
impact on others, ask questions - e.g. what did you see?
…..be aware of your natural fight/flight defensive mechanism….. when
you feel it triggered, let your natural defensive reaction wash out
…..don’t take it personally!……feedback doesn’t diminish you, don’t
argue, interrupt, listen blankly, defend, attack back, run away
…..keep returning to “it is a Gift”….all constructive feedback helps
you, you are in control, you reflect and decide action to take
The giver should feel their gift was welcomed and valued
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