Cameron Conaway's Blog, page 4

Feedback Beyond (Hierarchical) Borders

The first time I was asked to provide feedback training, the request was to help newly hired employees learn the basics of receiving feedback. The second time I was asked, the request was to help managers improve how they give feedback. As additional requests came in, I noticed the pattern continuing to play out — ... Read more

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Giving Feedback to New Teammates

When should I give feedback to new teammates? This is a question I often hear from both new people managers and more seasoned people managers who are welcoming new colleagues. The underlying intention of the question is always good; the manager wants to ensure they are creating a welcoming and psychologically safe onboarding experience for ... Read more

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The Feedback Sandwich

What is the feedback sandwich? A feedback sandwich is a way to frame negative feedback by “sandwiching” it between two positive feedback comments. What’s the purpose of the feedback sandwich? The feedback givers I’ve talked to posit these three reasons: Givers say that letting the receiver know something positive they are doing paves the way ... Read more

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Getting Feedback Indirectly

Among the many ways to seek feedback, the most obvious and certainly the most discussed is directly asking another person for feedback. We may do this directly by asking questions like: In 1983, researchers Ashford and Cummings referred to this as feedback-seeking behavior. Since that paper’s publication, this topic has been a dominant research theme. ... Read more

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Getting Feedback on Adopted Feedback

Many feedback receivers think the journey ends with adopting the feedback, but a vital part is getting feedback about your adoption. At my doctor’s office today, I saw a sign similar to this: In essence — the hospital system used feedback about their feedback surveys, and they want feedback on how their adoption of feedback ... Read more

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The Feedback Receiver’s Mindset

That a feedback receiving mindset is even necessary is news to some. And it’s not just news; it’s a mega dose of empowerment. In feedback training I’ve delivered, I’ve watched in real-time as early-in-career employees shifted their perspective — from wanting to learn how to receive feedback when it comes their way to now being ... Read more

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Giving Feedback: When to Delay

Effective feedback should always be delivered as close to the observed behavior as possible. But there are times when delaying feedback is the best choice. Let’s explore why. The topic of when to delay feedback can be challenging, particularly because it’s clear that too many feedback givers already delay feedback for various reasons, including because ... Read more

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Leveraging the Feedback Decision Tree

Constructive feedback can challenge feedback receivers on many levels — including emotionally. Depending on the work context, the content, and even how it was delivered, it may trigger past traumas that make it especially difficult for the receiver. That was my experience. And it’s an experience I’ve heard many others struggle with. I came up ... Read more

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Feeling Feedback

Feelings are trailheads that lead to insight. When I speak about the role of feelings in feedback, I typically see a few folks roll their eyes with a vibe of “Here comes some fluffy nonsense.” To address that ahead of time, I now usually preface with something like… “Now this next topic may cause a ... Read more

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Questions to Ask After Receiving Feedback

This week’s tip is about receiving feedback with clarity, specifics, and clear next steps. Often, folks see the feedback relationship as a monologue rather than the dialogue it should be. Just as often, the feedback giver and receiver bring baggage (anxiety, defensiveness, etc.) into the feedback relationship – particularly when it involves negative feedback. To ... Read more

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