Working without feedback is like sailing without a compass, and leaves us dependent on guesswork and assumptions. That’s a recipe for unhappy endings and missed opportunity. Like good communication skills, giving and receiving effective feedback are vital skills that need to become part of the workplace, our organizational culture, and a team game.
Feedback feeds every organization
Feedback from customers helps make sales; feedback from co-workers helps to complete projects; feedback from superiors and direct reports is essential to keep us on-track, focused and aware of what we’re doing well and what we need to improve, guiding us to modify behaviors.
Each participant completes a feedback skills self-evaluation. Exercises and discussions in pairs and small groups lead to a commitment to ground rules for giving and receiving feedback. Skills are taught that create a positive environment, removing the barriers impeding feedback. Team problem-solving activities put these techniques into practice in advance of implementing them in the workplace.
Selected Outcomes
- Give and receive feedback with specific ground rules everyone understands.
- Create a company culture in which feedback is accepted and encouraged.
- Learn self-correcting mechanisms to get back on track and stay on track.
- Drive increased productivity with ongoing coaching from peers and supervisors.