Guidelines for Effective Feedback

Feedback

Feedback is the receiver's verbal and nonverbal response to the source's message. (Pearson and Nelson)

Feedback involves a reversal of the communication process so that the receiver becomes the sender and the sender becomes the receiver

Guidelines for Effective Feedback

Feedback should be descriptive than evaluative. Feedback should be specific rather than general. Feedback should be solicited rather than imposed. Feedback should be given at the earliest opportunity. Feedback should be checked to ensure clear communication. Feedback should be given in present tense.

Guidelines for Initiating Feedback

* Tell people that you want feedback.

* Identify some areas in which feedback is necessary.

* Set aside time for feedback session.

* Use silence to encourage feedback.

* Watch for nonverbal response.

* Ask questions.

* Reward feedback.

* Encourage expression of emotion.

* Address interpersonal issue

* Acknowledge or appreciate the uniqueness of individuals.

Definition of Feed forward

Feed forward is a management and communication term, which refers to giving a pre-feedback to a person or an organization from which you are expecting a feedback. It usually involves giving a document for review and giving an ex post information on that document which you have not already given.

Feed forward in management is a term first referenced by Marshall Goldsmith in one of his prominent management articles.Focusing on solutions, rather than mistakes, on the future, rather than the past, will enhance the self-image of business leaders and employees alike and propel them on the road to success. (By Marshall Goldsmith)

Try Feed forward instead of Feedback

Providing feedback has long been considered to be an essential skill for leaders. Leader can derive benefits from employees. Employees can provide useful input on the effectiveness of procedures and processes and as well as input to managers on their leadership effectiveness. But there is a fundamental problem with all types of feedback: it focuses on a past, on what has already occurred As such, feedback can be limited and static, as opposed to expansive and dynamic. Feed forward is future oriented. It is a process of creating opportunities for thinking and behaving proactively.

Reasons to try for Feed forward

Ten Reasons to Try Feedforward

Participants are then asked why this exercise is seen as fun and helpful as opposed to painful, embarrassing or uncomfortable. Their answers provide a great explanation of why feedforward can often be more useful than feedback.

1. We can change the future. We can't change the past.

Feedforward helps people envision and focus on a positive future, not a failed past. Athletes are often trained using feedforward. Race car drivers are taught to, "look at the road, not the wall." Basketball players are taught to envision the ball going in the hoop and to imagine the perfect shot.

By giving people ideas on how they can be even more successful, we can increase their chances of achieving this success in the future.

2. It can be more productive to help people be "right", than prove they were "wrong."

Negative feedback often becomes an exercise in "let me prove you were wrong." This tends to produce defensiveness on the part of the receiver and discomfort on the part of the sender. Even constructively delivered feedback is often seen as negative as it necessarily involves a discussion of mistakes, shortfalls, and problems. Feedforward, on the other hand, is almost always seen as positive because it focuses on solutions.

3. Feedforward is especially suited to successful people.

Successful people like getting ideas that are aimed at helping them achieve their goals. They tend to resist negative judgment. We all tend to accept feedback that is consistent with the way we see ourselves. We also tend to reject or deny feedback that is inconsistent with the way we see ourselves.

Successful people tend to have a very positive self-image. I have observed many successful executives respond to (and even enjoy) feedforward. I am not sure that these same people would have had such a positive