Feedback – 8 basic principles
This article presents 8 basic principles for feedback you should be aware of. It is important because feedback is a basic dialogue/interaction tool with others—people involved or affected by our actions and, in the long-term perspective, a tool of change.
Why did I choose this tool?
The individual assessment via feedback could be an important factor in your professional development as well as a way to empower learning and mutual development among members of your community.
The more people you involve into your professional assessment, the more you get empowered, and at the same time, the quicker your community would develop.
How does this apply to a trainer?
Content
Feedback is a term which is widely used in many different contexts – in business, social work, but also in personal relationships. However, quite often it is mixed with criticism or appraisal, which may lead to misunderstandings.
In communication theory – according to Bartol & Martin, “Feedback is the receiver’s basic response to the interpreted message”. In the opinion of Bovee & Others, “Feedback is a response from the receiver that informs the sender how the communication is being received in general.”
In Non-violent Communication feedback is the information about how your actions (or lack of them) affect me, what needs they meet or what needs they leave unfulfilled.
In this way feedback is a basic dialogue/interaction tool with others—people involved or affected by our actions and, in the long-term perspective, a tool of change.
8 principles for feedback sessions you should be aware of:
- CLARITY: you should be clear in what you would like to assess and how this assessment would affect your performance as a trainer.
- DIVERSITY: try to get feedback from people representing different points of view and different experiences, go out of your comfort zone and get information from people outside your circle of friends.
- ADEQUACY: try to use different ways/tools of collecting feedback; adapt your methodology to different interviewers.
- CURIOSITY: stay curious while taking the interviews and don’t be judgmental; every point of view contains a bit of truth.
- CONTAIN: take whole information without commenting on it, don’t interrupt the process with your personal point of view. You may ask for clarification after receiving the whole feedback.
- APPRECIATION: appreciate that someone gave you feedback; saying simply “thank you” would be enough.
- COMMUNICATION: share your final findings and improvements with those who gave you the feedback. They deserve to see what you have learnt due to their contribution.
- FOLLOW UP: record and save your findings in a way that you could come back to them in the future.
Exercise:
| CLARITY: |
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“Please, share your reflection, how do you think I …”
“At what point especially …” etc. |
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| DIVERSITY | Whom do you want to interview?
other: |
Name: |
| Name: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Name: | ||
| ADEQUACY | Name:
Name: Name: Name: |
How would you like to ask for feedback?
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| CURIOSITY | In which way would you stimulate your curiosity and openness for everything that comes? | I should remember……………
Just before receiving feedback I ……. |
| CONTAIN | Notes from the feedback without interpretation: | |
| APPRECIATION: | How would you like to thank your responders for feedback? How can I express my gratitude to…?Name:Name:Name:Name: |
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| CONCLUSIONS: |
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| COMMUNICATION: | Share your final findings and improvements with people who were giving you the feedback. | “ Thanks to the received feedback I plan …… “ |
| FOLLOW UP: | How would you like to record and save the outcomes of the feedback? I will keep the feedback and conclusions:I will return to these notes on (date): |
Reflection questions:
- What do you learn about yourself while collecting feedback?
- What helps you in this process? What supports effective learning?
- What other important feedback criteria are worth remembering?
Exercise
| CLARITY: |
|
|
|
||
|
“Please, share your reflection, how do you think I …”
“At what point especially …” etc. |
|
| DIVERSITY | Whom do you want to interview?
other: |
Name: |
| Name: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Name: | ||
| ADEQUACY | Name:
Name: Name: Name: |
How would you like to ask for feedback?
|
| CURIOSITY | In which way would you stimulate your curiosity and openness for everything that comes? | I should remember……………
Just before receiving feedback I ……. |
| CONTAIN | Notes from the feedback without interpretation: | |
| APPRECIATION: | How would you like to thank your responders for feedback? How can I express my gratitude to…?Name:Name:Name:Name: |
|
| CONCLUSIONS: |
|
|
| COMMUNICATION: | Share your final findings and improvements with people who were giving you the feedback. | “ Thanks to the received feedback I plan …… “ |
| FOLLOW UP: | How would you like to record and save the outcomes of the feedback? I will keep the feedback and conclusions:I will return to these notes on (date): |
