Finding Value In Feedback

Remember Feedback is not Vague, Non-Actionable, Personal, or Public. But what happens when you receive feedback that seems unfair or even toxic? 🤔

Be honest with yourself, maybe even get a second opinion - but also consider the following:

🔹 Relevance: How relevant is the feedback to your needs and goals? Not all feedback will apply to your current situation or objectives. The person giving the feedback may have good intentions. The information may even be ‘best-practices’ from their perspective - but only you can decide if it really applies to your sitation.

🔹 Reliability: How reliable is the source of the feedback? Consider the credibility and expertise of the person giving the feedback. Also consider your experience with them in the past. Your physics professor is probably a genius, and may be a great source for feedback on your crazy ideas about warp-capable engines - but might not necessarily be an expert judge of your cooking.

🔹 Accuracy: How accurate is the feedback? Look for specific examples and evidence that support the feedback. This is tricky because your brain can almost always find supporting information for whatever theory you throw at it. Do yourself a favor and look for examples that CONTRADICT the feedback as well.

🔹 Actionability: How might the feedback be actionable? A vague reference to ‘fixing your behavior’ is not actionable. More actionable would be to ask you to brainstorm better ideas of how to handle a frustrating meeting instead of calling your boss “scruffy nerf-herder who wouldn’t know the difference between a fully operational battle station and an ACTUAL moon.”

Remember, sometimes the value in feedback lies in the information it provides about the person giving it. Their perspectives, biases, and insights can all be revealing.

At Inclusive Agile, we believe in fostering a culture of Psychologically Safe Feedback. This means creating an environment where feedback is constructive, supportive, and aimed at growth.

👉 Ready to transform your feedback culture? Join our upcoming course and learn how to make feedback a positive and productive part of your team's growth! #InclusiveAgile #PsychologicalSafety #EffectiveFeedback #AgileTraining