Last week we had a lovely evening at Josie’s home (I am a bit behind on things). Thank you to Josie for being such a generous host. Our conversation centered on feedback - both giving and receiving. We chatted most about the difficulties of giving feedback both in a way that it is received as it was intended and so that it contributes to positive faculty culture. We talked about the value of feedback being hot it allows the receiver to be seen, to feel like their actions matter. As such, the format for feedback proposed in this Quartz article on giving praise is helpful: describe the actions you like, describe the impact and express appreciation. It was also said in our conversation that the point of feedback is highlight the behaviors that are “vision building.” The impact peice of the praise formula might be the hardest to phrase, but it also might be the most important.
Also, It was suggested that when giving more constructive feedback, it is helpful to give only one piece of critical feedback so that the receiver doesn’t feel attacked or overloaded. Using broader areas of focus and sentence stems like “How might…” or “I am wondering if…” might foster more reflection and less frustration on the part of the receiver. We also agreed that the timing matters too - folks can’t take feedback if they are at capacity. Adding to that, the relationship has to come first. If the receivers don’t feel cared for, your feedback might sting. Minding relationships might also mean expressing gratitude in different ways. Azizi mentioned that for some, a handwritten note might be more meaningful than an email or conversation.
Our conversation was here and there around Folio, an online portal for organizing feedback, goals and professional learning. We agreed that we liked its set up - a space for commendations (glow) and a space for questions (grow). We like that Folio is a home for conversation notes, rather than a vehicle for evaluation (Hedwig wryly cautioned against Exfoliating teachers).
Kate Sheppard’s workshop (Fall in Love with Feedback) was highly recommended, as was the book Difficult Conversations.
While we didn’t discuss the skill of receiving feedback as much, the key advice from Sheila Heen’s Ted-talk resonated. Ask your mentors or superiors the following (and prepare yourself to be open to the answer): What is one thing you see me doing where I am getting in my own way?
I am looking forward to our next Circle on January 18 at Echo Horizon School. We will continue our focus on communication and leadership.
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