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Harnessing the Supernerd Hivemind: the Power of Feedback

Harnessing the Supernerd Hivemind: the Power of Feedback

~20min talk on getting better at soliciting and receiving feedback, delivered at New Relic annual product org offsite.

Katherine Wu

June 08, 2016
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Transcript

  1. Harnessing The Supernerd Hive Mind: 

    The Power Of Feedback
    KWu
    Ruby Agent Engineer

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  2. a case study:
    is how you handle
    feedback important?

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  3. intro > case study

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  4. intro > case study

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  5. intro > case study

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  6. intro > case study

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  7. intro > case study

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  8. intro > case study

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  9. intro > case study

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  10. intro > case study

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  11. intro > case study
    “You have given us helpful information…


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  12. intro > case study
    “You have given us helpful information…

    please don’t ever do that again.”

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  13. intro >
    you need feedback to know if
    you’re succeeding

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  14. intro >
    what is feedback?

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  15. intro >
    what is feedback?
    everything!

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  16. intro > what is feedback?

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  17. intro > what is feedback?
    who is asked
    what is said
    what is met with enthusiasm
    what actions are taken

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  18. intro > what is feedback?
    who is asked
    what is said
    what is met with enthusiasm
    what actions are taken
    …or not
    …or not
    …or not
    …or not

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  19. why people hesitate
    to give feedback

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  20. why people hesitate >
    2.
    3.
    1. uncertainty about reception

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  21. why people hesitate > 1. uncertainty about reception
    people have baggage that
    you have no control over

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  22. why people hesitate >
    2. belief that nothing will change
    3.
    1. uncertainty about reception

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  23. why people hesitate > 2. belief that nothing will change
    put themselves
    out on a limb…

    for nothing.

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  24. why people hesitate >
    2. belief that nothing will change
    3. large effort for right tone
    1. uncertainty about reception

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  25. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    problem gets worse
    with more levels

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  26. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    “I make mistakes like the
    next man. In fact, being
    —forgive me—rather
    cleverer than most men,
    my mistakes tend to be
    correspondingly huger."

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  27. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    “I make mistakes like the
    next man. In fact, being
    —forgive me—rather
    cleverer than most men,
    my mistakes tend to be
    correspondingly huger."

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  28. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    difficult to get feedback
    as you’re more senior

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  29. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    people feel it isn’t “their place”

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  30. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    “Execs don’t get told when
    something is going wrong.”

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  31. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    “Thermocline
    of Truth”

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  32. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    “Thermocline
    of Truth”

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  33. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    “Thermocline
    of Truth”

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  34. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    “Thermocline
    of Truth”

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  35. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    “Thermocline
    of Truth”

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  36. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    “Thermocline
    of Truth”

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  37. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    “we want to bring
    bad news into the light”

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  38. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone
    “…only works if there is no
    shame or fear.”

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  39. why people hesitate >
    definitely a 2-way street

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  40. 2. prove sincerity
    3. help others help you
    1. get truly comfortable

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  41. 2. prove sincerity
    3. help others help you
    1. get truly comfortable

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  42. 1. get truly comfortable >
    Mr Ginn’s advice

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  43. 1. get truly comfortable > a story
    “You’ll want to ask your friend,
    but they’ll just be nice.”

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  44. 1. get truly comfortable > a story
    “But really, you should ask
    someone who’s going to
    just tear into it, just like,
    really rip it apart.”

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  45. 1. get truly comfortable > a story
    “But really, you should ask
    someone who’s going to
    just tear into it, just like,
    really rip it apart.”

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  46. 1. get truly comfortable > a story
    “You know who you should ask?”

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  47. 1. get truly comfortable > a story
    “You know who you should ask?”

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  48. 1. get truly comfortable > a story
    “KWu!!! She has no mercy!”

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  49. 1. get truly comfortable > a story
    “KWu!!! She has no mercy!”

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  50. 1. get truly comfortable > a story

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  51. 1. get truly comfortable > a story
    …probably doesn’t make you
    want to ask me for edits!

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  52. 1. get truly comfortable > a story
    …probably doesn’t make you
    want to ask me for edits!
    (I’m nicer now, promise!)

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  53. 1. get truly comfortable >
    identity & work

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  54. 1. get truly comfortable >
    people can sense
    our discomfort

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  55. 1. get truly comfortable >
    some ways to help yourself
    accept feedback better

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  56. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept
    2.
    3.
    1. be authentic

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  57. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept
    2.
    3.
    1. be authentic

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  58. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept > 1. be authentic
    be honest with yourself

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  59. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept > 1. be authentic
    be honest with yourself

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  60. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept
    2. recognize your emotions
    3.
    1. be authentic

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  61. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept > 2. recognize emotions

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  62. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept > 2. recognize emotions

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  63. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept > 2. recognize emotions

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  64. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept > 2. recognize emotions

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  65. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept
    2. recognize your emotions
    3. choose to be informed
    1. be authentic

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  66. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept > 3. be informed
    don’t have to use the
    proposed solution

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  67. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept > 3. be informed
    but getting information

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  68. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept > 3. be informed
    prioritization is up to you

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  69. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept
    2. recognize your emotions
    3. choose to be informed
    1. be authentic

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  70. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard
    “If someone thinks I’m doing
    something wrong,
    then they’ll just tell me.”

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  71. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard
    THIS IS A TRAP!!!

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  72. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard
    “We don’t come up with
    market-dominating
    products as a team of 1.”
    Amy Boyle

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  73. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard
    What Google Learned
    From Its Quest to
    Build the Perfect Team

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  74. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard
    “psychological safety”

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  75. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard
    allows people to take risks

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  76. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard
    allows people to take risks
    BE BOLD

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  77. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard
    goal: psychological safety

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  78. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard
    goal: psychological safety

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  79. 2. prove sincerity
    3. help others help you
    1. get truly comfortable

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  80. 2. prove sincerity >
    2.
    3.
    1. examine reaction to dissent

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  81. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent
    words of power

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  82. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent
    do you favor people who agree?

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  83. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent
    “Upscale Survey Results”

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  84. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent
    “What else should I consider here?
    I might be wrong!”

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  85. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent
    things to do more of:

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  86. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent
    things to do more of:
    1. show excitement

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  87. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent
    things to do more of:
    1. show excitement (passionate!)

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  88. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent
    things to do more of:
    1. show excitement
    2. disagree in the open
    (passionate!)

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  89. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent
    things to do more of:
    1. show excitement
    2. disagree in the open
    3. have an anonymous channel
    (passionate!)

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  90. 2. prove sincerity >
    2. make people feel heard
    3.
    1. examine reaction to dissent

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  91. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard
    be appreciative

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  92. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard > be appreciative

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  93. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard > be appreciative

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  94. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard > be appreciative

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  95. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard > be appreciative

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  96. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard > be appreciative
    “creepy twin outfits”

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  97. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard > be appreciative
    show appreciation especially when
    people deliver hard messages

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  98. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard >
    Feedback is a gift.

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  99. 2. prove sincerity >
    things to do more of:

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  100. 2. prove sincerity >
    things to do more of:
    1. pass Turing test of perspective

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  101. 2. prove sincerity >
    things to do more of:
    1. pass Turing test of perspective
    2. assume best intentions

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  102. 2. prove sincerity >
    things to do more of:
    1. pass Turing test of perspective
    2. assume best intentions
    3. listen & ask questions on mental model

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  103. 2. prove sincerity >
    things to do more of:
    1. pass Turing test of perspective
    2. assume best intentions
    3. listen & ask questions on mental model
    (connected!)

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  104. 2. prove sincerity >
    2. make people feel heard
    1. examine reaction to dissent

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  105. 2. prove sincerity >
    2. make people feel heard
    3. tell people what happens
    1. examine reaction to dissent

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  106. 2. prove sincerity >
    2. make people feel heard
    3. tell people what happens
    (accountable)
    1. examine reaction to dissent

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  107. 2. prove sincerity > 3. tell people what happens
    “without a response,
    people will stop speaking”

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  108. 2. prove sincerity >

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  109. 2. prove sincerity >

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  110. 2. prove sincerity >
    O S
    A
    A

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  111. 2. prove sincerity >
    O S
    A
    A

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  112. Opinions As A Service!
    2. prove sincerity >
    O S
    A
    A

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  113. 2. prove sincerity >
    (but most people are not like that.)

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  114. 2. prove sincerity >
    it’s your responsibility to get
    feedback for yourself

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  115. 2. prove sincerity >
    “If you haven’t deliberately created an
    environment that welcomes candor
    and makes it safe for people to speak
    freely, you can’t assume that they are.”

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  116. 2. prove sincerity
    3. help others help you
    1. get truly comfortable

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  117. 3. help others help you >
    2.
    3.
    1. explain context & give direction

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  118. 3. help others help you > 1. explain context & give direction
    give people time to prepare

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  119. 3. help others help you > 1. explain context & give direction
    make it easy

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  120. 3. help others help you > 1. explain context & give direction
    what should I…
    do more of
    do less of
    continue doing

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  121. 3. help others help you > 1. explain context & give direction
    30% vs. 90% feedback

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  122. 3. help others help you >
    2. ask the right questions
    3.
    1. explain context & give direction

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  123. 3. help others help you >
    2. ask the right questions
    3. give feedback on the feedback
    1. explain context & give direction

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  124. 3. help others help you > 3. give feedback on the feedback
    “What was particularly helpful
    to learn was…”

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  125. putting this into practice

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  126. conclusion >
    feedback I’d like to get


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  127. conclusion >
    good places to eat

    feedback I’d like to get


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  128. conclusion >
    good places to eat

    how amazing this talk was!!!
    feedback I’d like to get


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  129. conclusion >
    good places to eat

    how amazing this talk was!!!
    (“what resonated”)

    feedback I’d like to get


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  130. conclusion >
    good places to eat

    how amazing this talk was!!!
    (“what resonated”)

    what was surprising?

    feedback I’d like to get


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  131. conclusion >
    good places to eat

    how amazing this talk was!!!
    (“what resonated”)

    what was surprising?

    what am I missing?
    feedback I’d like to get


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  132. conclusion >
    good places to eat

    how amazing this talk was!!!
    (“what resonated”)

    what was surprising?

    what am I missing?
    feedback I’d like to get


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  133. conclusion >

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  134. conclusion >
    “Whenever I talk to KWu, I feel
    she is running an experiment…


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  135. conclusion >
    “Whenever I talk to KWu, I feel
    she is running an experiment…

    …and I’m the lab rat.”

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  136. conclusion >
    !
    thank you for being my lab
    and especially: John Hyland, Amy Boyle, Erika Arnold, Alice Goldfuss, Ashley Puls, Ruby
    Andrews, Balki Kodarapu, Katie Leonard, Jason Clark, Darin Swanson, Ted Pennings, Seth
    Engelhard, Caito Scherr, Zoe Kay, Rebecca Holzschuh, Matt Wear, Noelle Daley, Tobby Lugo

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  137. appendix

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  138. outline
    1. get truly comfortable 2. prove sincerity 3. help others help you
    be authentic
    examine how you
    react to dissent
    explain context &
    give people direction
    recognize & name your emotions make people feel heard ask the right questions
    choose to be informed tell people what happens give feedback on the feedback

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  139. more things to do more of
    1. ask for feedback regularly
    2. explicitly draw people out
    3. talk about norms on how feedback should be delivered
    4. let other people offer ideas first

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  140. more things to say
    • “If you had to poke holes in this, what would you say?”
    • “I’m not 100% sold that this is the way to go, so would really like to
    hear other perspectives on it.”
    • “I hadn’t thought of that before!”
    • “This was a great thing to flag for us to think through.”
    • “Thank you for talking to me about this. I’m really glad to have a
    chance to talk with you about it.”

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  141. references
    http://brucefwebster.com/2008/04/15/the-wetware-crisis-the-
    themocline-of-truth
    http://quickbase.intuit.com/blog/the-real-reasons-your-team-isnt-telling-
    you-what-they-think
    http://quickbase.intuit.com/blog/how-to-get-your-staff-to-be-more-
    candid-with-you
    http://femgineer.com/2016/06/feedback-got-frenzy-learn-filter/

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  142. giving feedback
    http://firstround.com/review/thoughts-on-gender-and-radical-candor/
    http://www.askamanager.org/2016/02/my-employee-wants-to-be-
    micromanaged.html
    https://speakerdeck.com/rmw/frameworks-for-feedback-long-
    version-2016-may-self-conference

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  143. “Hang in there”
    motivational poster
    Admiral Ackbar,
    Star Wars Episode VI:
    Return of the Jedi
    Harry Potter
    (book series)
    Michelle Tanner,
    Full House (TV show)
    meme references

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