Peter, a senior executive, received indirect feedback from a recent team barometer survey. He wants help making the most of the feedback in an open and constructive discussion with his team. The document provides a three-step approach for debriefing surveys: 1) focused self-reflection on the feedback, 2) planning an open dialogue with guiding questions, and 3) conducting the team discussion with reflection and idea sharing in small groups. The goal is to have an honest exchange that identifies actions to improve conditions for the team to succeed.

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Indirect feedback via surveys can be extremely useful data
Hardly a month goes by without leaders receiving indirect feedback. Whether it’s the
team barometer, a culture survey, the annual employee engagement survey or your very
own 360º feedback. It all has the potential to be very useful data, meant to help you
navigate in the right direction.
Potential?
Yes. The usefulness depends on two things: the quality of the responses and the quality
of your reaction to the feedback.
The first point seems easy to address. Rubbish in, rubbish out.
So, you might find yourself thinking: “Let’s just ask the right questions, encourage people
to be honest, done deal. That’s for HR to sort out, clearly. And do shorten these things
whilst you’re at it, they take up far too much time!”
by Andrea Schueller
and Martina Weinberger
DEBRIEFING SURVEYS
IN AN ENGAGING FASHION
Chapter 3.7 >> Debriefing surveys in an engaging fashion
HOW CAN YOU MAKE
SURE THAT YOU HAVE
AN OPEN, HONEST
AND CONSTRUCTIVE
EXCHANGE WHICH WILL
BE WORTH THE TIME
YOU AND YOUR TEAM
INVEST IN IT?
Copyright © 2015 by Andrea Schueller, Toguna Leadership.
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,distributed,ortransmitted
in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or
mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.

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The quality of the responses depends on safety and follow-through
Only – nothing is ever that simple. It’s a chicken and egg situation. The quality of the ans-
wers to any questions you pose will depend on how carefully and respectfully you treated
what you heard in the past. In other words, do people feel ‘safe’ to share what they truly
feel? Do they feel that it’s worth bothering to share specifics – because something useful
will come of it?
Peter, an engineer and senior executive in a global
organisation, wants to talk through how he can make
the most of a recent Team Barometer. Peter has been
with his current organisation for many years and is
seen as indispensable. Especially when the going
gets tough. The composition of his team has recent-
ly changed during a reorganisation which followed
a fundamental change in strategy. He now has eight direct reports, five of whom he’s
worked with for a long time. The other three had been reporting to another colleague.
According to Peter the mood in the team is “Okay, but far from ideal”.
When asked to elaborate, he explains: “I’d say people are annoyed because they can’t
quite see the point of some of the recent changes. But they don’t feel as though it’s useful
to voice this.”
Asked, what it would take to initiate that proper debate and how the Team Barometer
results might contribute to it, Peter becomes quite pensive and explains after a while:
“The trouble is, I can’t really tell them all that much. I’m only informed on a need-to-know
basis myself. We’re not the most open organisation and quite hierarchical. My three new
team members are cautious. They soldier on, but are clearly annoyed that the area they
once represented has now changed beyond recognition. I feel as though they are poised
to jump ship as soon as they get a better job offer. That would be a real shame. I need
their experience and expertise and if they go, chances are their direct reports would fol-
low. Their previous boss has left the organisation under a bit of a cloud. He was properly
miffed. I try to get closer to them, but the shutters are down for now.
So, how might the Barometer contribute to a proper debate? I’m not sure. Don’t get me
wrong, I think it’s great to have feedback on how people feel about me as their boss. I’m
just not sure if this survey has truly fulfilled that!
Looking at it, the data is, at best, inconclusive. Some – and with such a small number
it’s not difficult to spot who – have taken the opportunity to moan anonymously. I really
don’t recognise myself in their comments, but I can relate to how they might see me like
this under the current circumstances. Some have ticked the boxes, but not provided any
real comments, which I can’t help but find cowardly. Others, presumably my ‘old’ team
members, have pretended that everything is okay because they like me and don’t want to
dump me in it. They gave me top scores even where I know I don’t deserve them.
I think it’s safe to assume that this isn’t is a real reflection of what’s going on and how
they view me. It isn’t the ‘real’ data we’d need for that proper debate you asked me about.
So, what I need you to help me with is this: how can I avoid putting one meaningless
exchange on top of another? How can I turn this from a potential farce that’s somehow
about me to a starting point for a new ‘us’? How can I engineer an honest, yet construc-
tive exchange that will be worth the time we invest in it? I’m old and ugly enough: I can
take a real dialogue – face to face. Help me plan it!”
Peter is an old hand at leading people in times of change. He was unusually relaxed about
some of the more hurtful personal comments and the bad scores that came with them.
He took them with as much of a pinch of salt as the glowing praise.
Having a rock-solid reputation in the organisation he had no reason to worry: “What does
this mean for me and my future in the organisation? Will somebody question my ability
as a leader”?
How can you get yourself into the right state to digest the feedback?
In our experience the following questions are useful in creating a bit of necessary
‘distance’ before analysing the feedback.
1. How do I stop myself making assumptions about who said what, which just creates
unhelpful ‘noise’ in my head? Noise that has me concerned about my likability and
competence as a leader. Noise that ultimately distracts me from properly engaging
with my people about the result.
2. How will I talk about it without my own hurt feelings getting in the way? Without
becoming defensive? What will I need to assume about the people who wrote the
most cutting comments? Why would a motivated, capable, trustworthy colleague
react like this?
3. How will I not only look at the small number of negative, hurtful comments, but see
the full picture? How can I, for myself, acknowledge that whilst there may be room
for improvement, there is also a solid case for building on what works? How will I
read the results to get confirmation of what exactly that is?
4. How will I stop myself from belittling certain comments, which I find petty and out
of sync with the strategic challenges we have to face? If there were value in these
comments, what would it be? Is there anything we specifically can and need to look
at? Are these general grievances, or are they particular issues which are unique to our
team, as it is right now, that can be addressed immediately?
5. How will I set myself realistic goals? It will be nigh on impossible to get 5 out of 5 on
everything… but that said, it‘s the standard to aspire to, clearly. Or is it?
HELP ME PLAN
FOR A
CONSTRUCTIVE
EXCHANGE!
Chapter 3.7 Debriefing surveys in an engaging fashion

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All of these issues are perfectly understandable and okay. You’re human. Whilst we all
intellectually buy into the usefulness of negative feedback, at some level we do hope
that others acknowledge and appreciate just what we’re trying to do and how much we
invest, especially given the context. Or, at least not criticise us quite so harshly… at least
not in writing, for everyone to see…
A three-step approach to debriefing surveys in an engaging fashion
Allow us to take you through a tried and tested three-step approach to ensure a construc-
tive discussion right now and even more honest and helpful feedback next time round:
STEP 1: Focused and balanced self-reflection – how can you analyse the data
in the most useful way?
STEP 2: Planning – how can you ensure an open, honest and constructive dialogue?
This is the step we immediately jumped to with Peter.
STEP 3: The team debrief – what can this look like in terms of a structure?
STEP 1: FOCUSED AND BALANCED SELF-REFLECTION
10 SELF-COACHING QUESTIONS
... as you initially analyse the meaning of the feedback for yourself
1. Strengths: What does the feedback tell me about my strengths?
2. Expected: What fits into the regular pattern of positive feedback?
3. New: What is new and a pleasant surprise?
4. Positive take away: What’s your key take away from the positive comments?
5. Development areas: What are the areas in which people feel
I don’t yet make the grade?
6. Expected: What fits into the regular pattern of criticisms?
7. New: What is new and tough to accept?
8. Oops: What do you never want to read again?
9. Negative take away: What’s your key take away from the negative comments?
10. Insight: How has all of this enhanced your insight into the kind of leader
you are perceived as? How is this different to the leader you want to be?
Okay, that’s you hopefully starting out in a constructive place. Now let’s focus on how you
best engage others (and with others!) in a follow-up discussion.
STEP 2: PLANNING FOR AN OPEN, HONEST
AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE
How can you facilitate a dialogue that is recognised as a vital step towards the creation
of an environment that allows everyone to do their best work?
To get there, you need to make one fundamental switch – from focusing on what this
means about YOU to focusing on what they are telling you about the best conditions for
THEM to succeed – because that’s what you ultimately need to create, for and with them.
10 SELF-COACHING QUESTIONS
... as you plan your conversation with the team
1. Who do you need to involve – and how: For certain surveys, it’s most useful to
involve more or less people than those who provided input. 360° feedback for
example is best followed up individually with your boss and peers. When it comes
to debriefing the comments of your team, it’s best to have everybody in the same
room.
2. Success in their eyes: If you were them: what three specific things would make this
a really useful follow-up for you (e.g. I feel respectfully listened to; concrete, mea-
ningful actions are agreed and taken)
3. Success in your eyes: which three indicators will you use to assess if the follow-up
has been time well spent?
4. Assets: when you think about your team and how they behave in group discussions:
what makes you hopeful that this success can be achieved? How can you build on
that?
5. Liabilities: when you think about your team and how they behave in group
discussions: what might get in the way of success? How can you mitigate that?
6. Know thyself – and prepare: what are your own hot buttons (e.g. unspecific, badly
backed-up examples; people who love to moan but are reluctant to suggest so-
lutions; people holding back in the face-to-face follow-up who were happy to let
rip on paper). How can you credibly suspend judgement when those buttons are
pushed?
7. Clear ground rules: what ground rules do you need to introduce to make it ‘safe’ for
everybody to speak their mind? How can you credibly be a role model for them?
8. Your guiding belief: if you remember only one thing as you facilitate the session,
what is it? (e.g. curiosity opens up – judgement closes down)
9. Setting the tone: how can your invitation for the follow-up pave the way
to success? What does it need to say about the purpose?
10. Getting it right from the start: how do you need to ‘be’ at the start of the meeting
to signal what kind of exchange you want? What do you need to do or say?
Chapter 3.7 Debriefing surveys in an engaging fashion

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STEP 3: THE TEAM DEBRIEF – A GENERIC STRUCTURE
FOR YOUR FOLLOW-UP
:: Start by thanking people for the feedback they have already provided and frame the
purpose of this discussion as jointly determining the best follow-up actions.
:: Provide an executive summary of the key findings without attributable quotes (never
put the actual data in front of others, if this has not been expressly agreed in the set-
up).
:: Get people to reflect on the following questions (if possible, group them in threes or
fours)
– To what degree is this overview a fair description of what you perceive to be going
on – on a scale of 1 – 10, with 1 meaning ‘not at all’ and 10 ‘absolutely’
– If your score is less than 8: what would you like to add?
– Considering the overall picture: what in particular stands out for you – positively or
negatively?
– If you compare what you see with how you believe things would need to be for you
personally to deliver your best performance, what are the 2 – 3 key issues we need
to address – and how do you suggest we do this (please note: this includes things
that you feel are working well and that you’d like to see more of).
:: Provide enough time to consider and answer the questions in small groups if you
meet face to face. If it’s a virtual debrief, encourage individuals to make a couple of
notes.
:: As the groups/individuals present their suggested actions to you and each other,
beware of judging as you listen; you can add your ideas, but if you are, or even seem
to be in any way dismissive of theirs they won’t feel free to express their views and it
turns into a pointless exercise.
:: Ask the team as a whole to agree which max. 5 actions will be selected (e.g. by giving
each team member three “votes” and select those that get top scores overall).
:: Challenge the team to consider, what might get in the way of these 5 actions being
successfully implemented. What can they – individually and collectively – do, to ensu-
re that these hurdles are either overcome or don’t emerge in the first place?
:: Agree a future date for all to review the effect that the selected 5 actions had – frame
this as a stop-check in a joint learning and development process
TOP TIPS
:: Don’t go through the motions. Your and your team’s time is too precious.
Consider what the survey would need to deliver if it were to become instrumental
in elevating your own and your team’s performance. And then ask the questions
the survey doesn’t/can’t ask, but that really matter. Hearing the answers face-to-face
will allow you to probe deeper and understand what is behind certain perceptions.
:: Aim to get away from an open big group discussion as often as you can. Small groups
are a tried and tested way of hearing from the less extroverted team members and
anybody who might keep their head down for any other reasons.
:: Ensure that you have a long list of ideas (keep it for future reference!) but a very
short list of real actions. Make sure that they are the ones that matter. If you sign off
a whooping big list, everybody will be disappointed by it not being completely
followed through.
:: Above all: trust your people. Nobody expects that all ideas put forward will be adop-
ted. What matters is that they are heard, understood and that the criteria for deciding
what to do next are transparent and make sense to everybody.
:: Do away with pre-conceived notions of how team events ‘have’ to happen. If you are
used to team away days – great. Only: it doesn’t have to be this way.
If two separate hours of virtual discussion is all you will get, focus on what people
need to say and what you need to hear. Give them guiding questions to think about,
which they can answer ‘live’. If you have to split the exchange in two, make the most
of it. Focus the first part on analysis and the second on ideas. This allows for reflection
and ideas generation in between the sessions ( a great way to get the most ideas out
of your introverts, too )
Chapter 3.7 Debriefing surveys in an engaging fashion