Giving and Receiving Feedback

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Giving and Receiving Feedback

• Dr. Ramesh Mehay, Bradford VTS

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Feedback is

• information
• about performance or behaviour
• that leads to action to affirm or develop that
  performance or behaviour.

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Purpose of Feedback

• How can we expect people to change and develop if
  they dont know what they need to change?
• Unless they get feedback, how do they know what
  they do well so they can continue doing it?

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Feedback Reality vs Perceptions

• Most people really want to know how they are
  doing. They want to know if other people like
  what theyre doing.
• They also want to know if something could be done
  more effectively or if boundaries are being
  overstepped.

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Feedback is NOT

• an end in itself
• a solution to performance problems or issues
• praise or blame, approval or disapproval.
  Evaluation means to place value on a performance
  or piece of work. But feedback is value neutral.
  It merely describes what you did or did not
  accomplish, given a standard or intent.
• Derived from tests, exercises or simulations.
  The activity being assessed is your normal work.
  You cannot get closer to real life than real life
  itself.

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Brown Leighs Feedback Rules (1996)

• TIMELY
• SELECTIVE
• BALANCED
• SUGGESTIONS rather than PRESCRIPTIONS
• DESCRIPTIVE
• SPECIFIC or focussed
• Avoid personal comments
• Avoid Mixed Messages
• Avoid diffusion
• DIRECTED towards behaviour that can be changed

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Giving Feedback

• TIMELY given as close to the event as possible
  (taking account of the persons readiness etc)
• SELECTIVE addressing one or two key issues
  rather than too many at once
• BALANCED good and the bad
• SUGGESTIONS not PRESCRIPTIONS

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Giving Feedback

• DESCRIPTIVE, non-judgemental, based on behaviour
  not personality
• "I notice that you dont look at people when they
  are talking to you".
• "I think your selfish in that you dont listen to
  anyone else".

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Giving Feedback

• SPECIFIC or focussed In order to focus
  developmental feedback-
• Avoid personal comments
• Avoid Mixed Messages
• Avoid diffusion

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Examples

• you fool! Cant you remember that I needed these
  accounts for the meeting yesterday?
• Shirley, I need the accounts for 2pm on Friday
  for the management meeting later in the
  afternoon.
• John, you always look as if you have just got
  out of bed but your work is good on the whole)
• John, I would like you to take more care with
  your appearance in order to make a better
  impression
• Some of you are not achieving your performance
  goals. You have to improve.
• Richard, you have not achieved your performance
  goals this week. Can we talk about it work out
  some plans to improve?

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Giving Feedback

• DIRECTED towards behaviour that can be changed
• I really dont like your face/your height/the
  fact that you are bald etc
• It would help me if you smiled more or looked at
  me when you speak

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But before you give feedback

• always ask yourself
• What is my intention behind giving this person
  feedback?
• How am I feeling about giving it?
• How is the other person feeling if they have had
  a stressful day, might be best left for another
  occasion. It is important they are in the right
  frame of mind to accept it
• BOTH PEOPLE SHOULD FEEL CALM

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The Impact of Feedback

• The person receiving the feedback can react with
• Anger Ive had enough of this
• Denial this reaction often accompanies the
  initial shock of feedback I cant see any
  problem with that
• Blame Its not my fault. What can you expect
  when the patient wont listen?
• Rationalisation finding excuses to try and
  justify their behaviour Ive had a particularly
  bad week Doesnt everyone do this?
• Acceptance
• Renewed Action

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what type of feedback might you get?

• written/verbal individualised eg a particular
  assignment
• written/verbal general feedback to your class eg
  on most common errors/successes on an exam paper
• checklists/proforma eg headings of assessment
  criteria, with comments below
• assessment criteria grid, showing where you are
  placed against each criteria
• model answers
• computerised eg multiple-choice questions
• "Off the cuff" comments from others eg "You're
  really good at"

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Rules for Receiving Feedback

• Listen carefully to what is being said
• People should be receptive to feedback and see it
  as helpful.
• Dont reject it!
• Accept positive feedbackdont reject it!
• Accept negative feedback...dont reject it!
• Avoid arguing or being defensive.
• Ask questions to clarify fully and seek examples
  is useful.
• Acknowledge the giver of feedback and show his or
  her appreciation. The feedback may not have been
  easy to give.
• Involve mutual good will
• receiver should feel that the giver isnt
  their enemy
• giver needs to want to help receiver develop

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what to do with the feedback?

• It is up to you
• Read or listen
• Understand Clarification examples and
  alternatives Keep notes
• Give it time to sink in and get into perspective
• Try to keep feedback sheets/information together
• Address areas for improvement. Identify, Action
  Plan
• Try not to
• feel devastated by small criticisms and
• try not to be defensive and make excuses