How to give feedback

Transcript

1. How to give feedback Charles-Axel Dein July 2017

2. Table of contents 1. Why it's important 2. How to

   do it 3. Bad examples

3. Intro The "T3B3" tool

4. T3 = "Top 3" things you do well Reinforcing feedback

5. B3 = "Bottom 3" things you can work on Redirecting

   feedback

6. This presentation is applicable to both redirecting and reinforcing feedback

7. Part 1. Why It's Important

8. Great mentors deliver great feedback

9. Being great at delivering feedback helps receiving it

10. Part 2. Howto Deliver Feedback

11. Here's an example situation Your colleague said the software you

    just shipped on the connected toaster was "a piece of shitty spaghetti code".

12. Let's try without a framework!

13. "You make disrespectful comments about code." — Inexperienced Feedback Giver

14. How does that make you feel?

15. Now, let's review some better ways to share feedback.

16. First we'll review the model Then we'll have an example

    feedback

17. Framework 1: Non-Violent Communication's ONFR 1. Observations 2. Feelings 3.

    Needs 4. Request

18. Simplified example: Non- Violent Communication 1. Observation: yesterday you said

    that my code was "a piece of shitty spaghetti code". 2. Feelings: this made me feel disrespected because I had put a lot of energy in this new feature. 3. Needs: for our team to function well, we need feedback to be shared in a respectful manner. 4. Request: moving forward, can you try to find better words and more actionable feedback?

19. Framework 2: Crucial Conversations' STATE 1. State your facts 2.

    Tell your story 3. Ask for others' paths 4. Talk tentatively 5. Encourage testing

20. Simplified example: Crucial Conversation 1. State: yesterday you said that

    my code was "a piece of shitty spaghetti code". 2. Tell: I can't help but think you want to hurt my feelings with such strong words. 3. Ask: what was your intention with sharing those strong words? "Hold to your belief; merely soften your approach"

21. Framework 3: behavioral interview's STAR 1. Situation 2. Task 3.

    Action 4. Result

22. Simplified example: behavioral STAR model 1. Situation: yesterday in the

    chat room you said that my code was "a piece of shitty spaghetti code". 2. Task: N/A here. 3. Action: I felt disrespected as a result. We need everyone to share feedback respectfully. 4. Outcome: when feedback is shared respectfully, people are more keen acting upon it.

23. Part 3. Bad Examples

24. Feedback antipatterns 1. The Generalization Attack 2. I'm not talking

    to you 3. The CIA Antipattern 4. The Sloth Sandbagging 5. The Feedback Sandwich

25. All of those are inspired by real examples

26. 1. The Generalization Attack By far the most common, and

    the worst

27. If only you could be less aggressive when giving feedback

    on code reviews, it would make discussions easier! — Inexperienced Feedback Giver

28. What's wrong about this feedback?

29. Avoid generalizations! 1. Use examples (facts). 2. Be specific (situation:

    where & when?). 3. Talk tentatively, avoid attacks. It's your story.

30. How would you re-write it? ❓

31. 2. I'm not talking to you

32. "Our team's code quality has lowered recently." — Inexperienced Feedback

    Giver

33. What's wrong about this feedback?

34. Talk to the person 1. Use "you" when sharing feedback.

    2. Talk about concrete action your interlocutor did or didn't take. 3. Make it concrete and actionable!

35. How would you re-write it? ❓

36. 3. The CIA Antipattern "Can't Impact Anyway"

37. You could have led more projects! — Inexperienced Feedback Giver

38. What's wrong about this feedback?

39. Don't give feedback about things the individual can't impact E.g.

    leading a project is mostly dependent on staffing and business priorities

40. How would you re-write it? ❓

41. 4. The Sloth Sandbagging

42. You could have done more mentoring! — Inexperienced Feedback Giver

43. What's wrong about this feedback?

44. We can always do more! 1. Everyone's pretty busy. Focus

    your feedback on prioritization. 2. Clarify what impact was missed.

45. How would you re-write it? ❓

46. 5. The Feedback Sandwich

47. You're such a knowledgeable person! You could mentor me more.

    But I love working with you! — Inexperienced Feedback Giver

48. What's wrong about this feedback? ❓

49. Go straight to the feedback! The feedback sandwich introduces cognitive

    dissonance and make it more difficult for your interlocutor to understand it.

50. How would you re-write it? ❓

51. Conclusion

52. How to train? 1. Focus on positive feedback delivery (5:1

    ratio). 2. It's fine to generalize if you can find examples. 3. Do not nitpick!

53. Read more • charlax/engineering-management • Negative feedback antipatterns

54. Thank you! Questions?