1. Giving and ReceivingGiving and Receiving
FeedbackFeedback
Ann Marie O’Grady, B.Physio, MISCPAnn Marie O’Grady, B.Physio, MISCP
Physiotherapy ManagerPhysiotherapy Manager
April 2007April 2007
DATHs CPD Group “Train the Trainers” DayDATHs CPD Group “Train the Trainers” Day
3. Overview
• Benefits of feedback
• Learning/Learning Styles
• Giving and Receiving Feedback
• Difficult Situations/Things to Watch
Out For
4. Benefits of Feedback
• Improves performance
• Provides information and insights
• Builds better working relationships
• Promotes a more open working
environment
• Increases job satisfaction
5. Learning
• Learning from experience is fundamental
• Need to supplement intuitive learning with
elements that are more conscious and
deliberate
• People have different preferential ways of
learning – this may impact on:
– How they hear feedback
– How people interact with each other
7. Activist
Like:
– To think on their feet
– Short sessions
– Variety
– Opportunity to initiate
– To participate and have fun
8. Reflectors
Like:
• To think before acting
• Thorough preparation
• To research and evaluate
• To make decisions in their own time
• To listen and observe
9. Theorists
Like:
• Concepts and Models
• To see the overall picture
• To feel intellectually stretched
• Structure and clear objectives
• Logical presentation of ideas
10. Pragmatists
Like:
• To see relevance of their work
• To gain practical advantage from
learning
• Credible role models
• Proven techniques
• Activities to be real
11. Exercise
1. What feedback have you had that
was useful – Why?
2. What was counterproductive –
Why?
3. How did YOU react to receiving
feedback – Why?
12. Receiving Feedback
• To be successful, receivers should feel
that they can:
– Volunteer their ideas and opinions
– Discuss problems and express personal feelings
freely
– Recognise their performance shortcomings
– Discuss their job performance objectively
– Accept suggestions and forward direction
13. Receiving Feedback
• Less likely to be effective if receivers feel:
– Defensive
– Hostile
– Too self confident
– Hesitant to air their complaints or discuss
problems openly
– That they don’t want the feedback or aren’t
ready to receive it
14. Dos and Don’ts of Giving &
Receiving Feedback
Do
• Accept and clarify praise
• Repeat positive behaviours
• Accept and clarify
criticism
• Suggest and identify ways
forward
• Ask “What can I learn
from it?”
• Ask “How can I use this
information?”
Don’t
• Accept vague praise
• Minimise or argue praise
• Argue or contradict
criticism
• Overreact emotionally
• Belittle the feedback giver
• Treat it as absolute truth
15. Exercise:
Giving Feedback
• What situations/opportunities are
there in your job to give feedback?
• Who should you give feedback to?
• When should you give feedback?
16. Giving Positive Feedback
Dos
• Be specific and
sincere
• Give attention to
progress
• Praise efforts and
achievements
• Acknowledge
improvements in poor
performance
Don’ts
• Praise
vaguely/generally
• Add “But”
• Over praise
• Patronise
• Be begrudging
17. Feedback on Areas for
Development
Dos
• Ask first
• Limit to a few points only
• Discuss problems early
• Confront the issue, not the
person
• Identify consequences of
behaviour
• Ask for ideas on how to address
problems
• Use positive language
• Ensure a two way process
Don’ts
• Generalise e.g. “you’re always
late”
• Be biased
• Be judgemental, using words such
as “worst “ or “bad”
• Focus on personality issues
18. Active Listening
• Show interest
• Don’t interrupt
• Clarify and check understanding
• “Knowing what others have said and what
they meant to say”
• “Leaving people comfortable that they
have had their say”
No-one does a perfect job 100% of time. Everyone can improve.
Without feedback you are contributing to someone’s failure/suboptimal performance
If you were unable to learn from experience you would:
Never Acquire any knowledge or skills
Make the same mistakes over and over again
Be incapable of adapting to change
HOWEVER while can learn intuitively there are difficulties with it and it does need to be supplemented with learning that is more conscious and deliberate – FEEDBACK IS AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF THIS
This is used to identify how a senior/clinical specialist and a staff grade are likely to work together and how various learning opportunities can be optimised by individuals. It is on the first page of the Staff Grade Rotational and Competency Assessment form.
Just an indication:
Everyone has a mix of all 4 styles
Some style(s) will be more dominant and people prefer to work in this style
Ideally an equal mix of all styles would be great, no one style dominating
For development purposes – may need to work on developing the less dominant side of their style.
Like to take direct action
Enthusiastic
Less interested in past or putting things into broader contexts
Like to try things out
Like being centre of attention
Like to think about things in detail before taking action
Thoughtful approach
Good listeners
Low profile
Read and re-read
Happy to repeat piece of learning
Like to see how things fit into an overall pattern.
Logical and objective ”systems“ people who prefer a sequential approach to problems.
Analytical
Pay great attention to detail
Tend to be perfectionists
Like to see how things work in practice
Enjoy experimenting with new ideas.
Practical
Down to earth
Like to solve problems.
Appreciate the opportunity to try out what they have learned/are learning
Reactions to feedback – YOURS:
Your reaction dictates whether feedback makes any impact on your personal development.
Try and identify patterns in your reactions – note any unhelpful /adverse reactins
Eg if always defensive may:
Miss opportunity to improve
Deter others from giving you useful feedback
If always underplay positive fedback eg “It was nothing”, can diminish strengths/achievements
Only accept feedback if you are in a frame of mind to receive it. Otherwise postpone or decline;
Listen attentively without giving verbal or visual feedback;
Ask questions to gain clarifications;
Accept what is helpful for you;
Do not go into justifications, defensive positions or even attack (understand that the feedback is not a fact. It is an observation from the giver and therefore is itself interesting);
Feedback is not a request for self-criticism;
Thank the giver for his/her willingness to provide feedback (this doesn’t imply that you accept his/her feedback).
And don’t forget, you can always ask for feedback. This may be just the bit of encouragement that someone, who is holding back on feedback, needs.
All situations should be used to give feedback
Any situation that may have a +ve or –ve impact on staff or team performance
Job well done
Should be integral part of the day – “Catch people doing things right” – One Minute Manager
Role of senior/clinical specialists to give feedback to staff grades and assistants AND to peers and managers. Staff grades – feedback to assistants AND to senior staff above them. Role for feedback outside the physiotherapy specific area
Start being aware of those working around you – Need to give reent and valid examples
Always ask permission
Ask for permission to give feedback;
Stick to the elements Behaviour – Impact – Feeling - Request;
Provide feedback on behaviour rather than personality traits e.g. ‘I observed that you interrupted the presenter on about five occasions’ rather than ‘You are rude’;
Use ‘I’ statements and not ‘one should, we thing, at Beaumont etc.);
Provide feedback as close to the event as reasonably possible;
Focus on a specific topic and do not bring up 3 years of history;
Only provide feedback on behaviours that the receiver can change;
Don’t hide the feedback in suggestive question “Do you not think, that …”;
Where possible, encourage helpful behaviours rather than trying to eliminate unhelpful ones;
Eliminate generalisation (always, never, normally, usually…). Be specific;
All listen well when we want/have to.
Need to learn to listen when we don’t want to!
You don’t have to agree with person – just listen
How’s work going for you?
Give me an example
How do you feel about that?
And then what happened?
Before you move on , can you explain how you resolved that?
Common Pitfalls:
Generally we decide very quickly whether we like people or not – then spend rest of time justifying it!!!! Be aware! Objectivity is the bedrock of effective feedback
“Saint” – May remind you of yourself!! – Can see nothing wrong in anything they do- Remember no one is perfect!!!
Can do nothing right! May have different style, may not like them – Human nature. No one is this bad
Think “one style fits all” Expect people to behave and work the same way when don’t compare them unfairly
NB to allow ach individual to develop his/her own unique style
Look at seriousness of the incident – What has been learned as a a result? Cause more damage by being overly lenient/over harsh in wrong setting
Tends to say nothing/ agree with everything you say. Reluctant to give own opinion. Prefers direct feedback rather than discussion
Ask open questions
Reflect back exact words to get to expand OR “tell me more about”
Not achieving objectives or performance. Likely to be defensive and aware of problem. May want to avoid talking about it – may attempt to change subject/divert. Aim: Work with and help
No surprises – point out poor performance at the time
Look for & point out +ve aspects f behaviour
Make notes of points you wish to to cover so avoid being distracted
Prepare FACTS beforehand
Be prepared to back up feedback comments
Exceptionally able – needs to be constantly challenged. Aim: to work with and encourage:
Get them to assess themselves (often their own best critics)
Congratulate them on their performance
Find out what motivates them
Define challenging goals
Find it difficult to take a realistic view of their activities. May describe everything in a positive way and reluctant to acknowledge areas of poor performance
Prepare beforehand so have actual examples of behaviour
Give praise where it is due
Probe & use your prepared notes to identify and agree precise details of what happened
Get them to re-evaluate their performance in light of the facts
Dismissive of whole feedback process – believe it is not good for them or others. Likely to find fault with system/component parts. Can do the job but not to the best of their abilities. May have low morale
Discss purpose of the sessin
Gain commitment to discussion but do not promise what cannot deliver
Find out what they enjoy – set objectives in this arae as much as possible
Identify problem areas and ask them what could be done to make work more satisfying
Become angry/upset when point out development gaps/-Ve feedback
Do not lose your temper
Let them talk
Listen patiently
If remain emotional – reschedule
Calm down by explaining want o give them another tiem to talk after they have had time to think
Don’t let them leave while still upset
Begin next session by discussing why they got so upset/emotional
Emphasise +ve value of feedback
Socialise with inside and outside of work. Not usually a problem but may be some instances where find hard to separate role
Recognise friends have same right to feedback as others
Try to take objective view. Views of others may help – peers/managers
Keep meeting on track – keep to point
State need to keep work and relationship separate
Do not allow personal relationships to cloud work performance issue
Avoid “halo” effect