Preparation: The Key Ingredient to Successful Feedback Conversations
There’s a first step. It's a critical first step to recognize that both praise and positive feedback are important to individual and team growth and development. This article highlights the reasoning involved and provides some general how-tos.
The Two Step Dance of Praise and Positive Feedback
A great next step to incorporate regular feedback into your leadership is to adopt a feedback model that is flexible and aligns with both your style and the organization's culture. This article describes the SBI (Situation-Behavior-Impact) model and provides a sample conversation.
A Primer on Effective Feedback Conversations
Both articles allude to the importance of preparation to a successful conversation.
Preparation is two fold. First, identifying what will be discussed and, more importantly, how you will show up to the conversation - especially when the stakes are high and emotions are strong.
The Challenge
- Feedback conversations when the stakes are higher than usual and emotions are strong can be very uncomfortable.
- Without preparation, it's natural to want to avoid such conversations.
- Avoidance of such conversations doesn't resolve anything.
- Putting it off makes it harder (not easier) to have the conversation.
The Remedy
If the feedback conversation is with teams or individuals you lead, always remember that your position naturally affords you more power in the relationship.
This fact makes it your responsibility to create a safe atmosphere of mutual respect and commonality of purpose.
With this in mind, here are some questions for your consideration as you prepare for a potentially highly charged conversation:
Purpose/outcome
What's the purpose of the conversation?
What's an ideal outcome? An acceptable one?
Examine yourself
What do I really want for myself?
What do I not want?
What do I want for the other person?
What do I want for the relationship?
How do I typically respond under stress?
Examine your story
What story am I telling myself about this situation?
What are the facts now?
What is my role in the situation?
How might my attitude about the situation influence the conversation?
Think about the other person as a partner
What might they be thinking about the situation?
What needs or fears might they have?
What suggestions or solutions might they offer?
The Truth
Right about now you may be thinking, "This seems like alot of work." or "I don't have time for this." Fair enough. My question to you is, "If not now, when?"
When will you step up, shift to a wider angle view and recognize that if you want to create a work environment in which everyone (including yourself) can be and do their best, you've got to take the lead?
A Gift for You
Click here to download a Feedback Preparation Guide for High Stakes Conversations. It also includes includes book and article resources.
And if you'd like some assistance preparing for feedback conversations, schedule a time for us to chat here:
_______________________
Passionate Leadership
is who you're being as you're leading.
About the Author
Gayle Ely is a Leadership Coach, Trainer and Facilitator and founder of Total Life Leadership. At Total Life Leadership, we partner with purpose-driven non-profit leaders and service entrepreneurs to help them answer the question “How Do I Become a Better Leader?”
Using The Six Pillars of Passionate Leadership, we equip leaders to be the best they can be. The result is a passionate leader whose team and organization are operating for maximum impact.
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