Feedback helps us to build stronger teams, supports more effective problem-solve and collaboration, and ultimately contributes to delivering better products. Without it, we can spend time focusing on the wrong things, solving the wrong problems, maybe not even knowing about problems in the first place! So if feedback is critical to us growing and thriving, why aren't we all excitedly showering each other with feedback all the time, and BEGGING others to give it to us? In my experience, people are generally not enthusiastic or confident in their ability to give feedback. Feedback usually isn't happening because feedback feels risky, vulnerable, scary, even downright anxiety-inducing. As a manager, leader, and coach of many teams over the last 20+ years, I can help you get a good foothold on where to start. Even better, I can tell you where the bodies are buried so you avoid some of the mistakes I've experienced over the years too. In this session, we'll warm up with an overview of what feedback is and is not. We'll also review the qualities of high-quality feedback, as well as the other kinds of feedback so you know the difference. We'll finish off with a quick summary of some "tips and tricks" to getting comfortable with giving and receiving candid feedback that has worked really well for me. You'll be a feedback champion before you know it!

1. VST14 Feedback Skills that will Supercharge Your
Effectiveness as a Team Member or Leader!
Angela Dugan
Delivery Director and Agile Guide,
3Cloud Solutions
Level: Intermediate

2. © Polaris LLC. All rights reserved. Disclosure is subject to the restriction on the title page of this document.
Angela Dugan
Delivery Director, Agile Practice Manager, Team Coach
Values = Connection | Generosity | Trust
Passion = Helping humans be the best they can be
Location = Chicago
Quirks = Obsessed with Halloween, raises chickens!
Email = adugan@3CloudSolutions.com
URL = https://3cloudsolutions.com
Twitter = @OakParkGirl

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4. Angela@PolarisSolutions.com Twitter: @OakParkGirl
URL: http://www.polarissolutions.com

5. Reasons Our Brains Run From
Giving/Receiving Feedback
I don’t want the
other person to
get mad at me
or what I am
saying.
What if they cry,
yell, or quit? I
don’t know how
to handle that
kind of conflict.
I don’t want
other people to
think that I don’t
know what I am
doing.
What if I’m doing
something
wrong? I don’t
want to get a
bad review, or
worse, fired!

6. 8
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A lack of constructive
criticism or praise amongst
team members, leading to
unproductive conflict, loss
of morale, anxiety about
performance, lack of trust,
and disconnection
How a Lack of Feedback Culture Can Manifest
Fear of Challenging Ideas
A Fear of challenging ideas
or questioning strategy,
leading to stressful rework,
wasted effort working on
the wrong things,
unexpected overtime,
maybe even burnout
Not Admitting You Need Help
No one admitting to being
blocked or needing help
and no one challenging
repeatedly missed
commitments, leading to
unmanaged expectations,
missed deadlines, and
unhappy customers
No Criticism or Praise

8. “If you don’t have anything nice to say…”

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MIDWEST NICE IS A LIE

11. What would YOU do?
A coworker has implemented some pretty terrible logic in the code that you are
reviewing for an upcoming sprint review
1. Tell them it is fine, you are pretty sure they’ll disagree, it will be too much work to explain
how to do it right. You plan to fix it later yourself
2. Tell them it’s fine, it will still compile as is and you don’t want to embarrass them in front of
the team. Maybe you can email them later.
3. Call it out as an example of poor code logic in the next public code review. They should have
known better. It’s a lesson no one will forget
4. Talk them through why their code was not optimal 1:1, offer an alternative suggestion for
them to implement so they can resubmit the pull request before the sprint review

12. © Polaris LLC. All rights reserved. Disclosure is subject to the restriction on the title page of this document.
MIDWEST NICE COMPLEMENTS
ALSO SUCK
MIDWEST NICE IS A LIE

13. 4 Feedback “hacks”
1. The prime directive
2. “The Clint Edmonson Memorial Pull-In”
3. “The story I am telling myself”
4. Use a framework (COIN)
*Don’t worry, Clint is alive and well!

14. Feedback Prime Directive
“Regardless of what we discover, we
understand and truly believe that everyone
did the best job they could, given what was
known at the time, their skills and abilities,
the resources available, and the situation at
hand."

15. “Phone a friend”
The Clint Edmonson Memorial Pull-In

16. The story I am telling myself…

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C
O
I
N
Create CONNECTION. Then explain
the CONTEXT of the feedback you
are about to give. What does it
relate to (the when and where of
the situation)?
Explain the behaviors you
OBSERVED that you want your
colleague to start., stop, or change
using specific and concrete
examples.
Explain the IMPACT that your
colleague’s behavior has had on
others or on the outcome and its
importance.
Discuss next steps and agree what
actions your colleague will take
and the time frame for their doing
so. Set expectations for the future.
“Hey John, I wanted to give you some input on the
meeting that you ran earlier today”
“I noticed you were talking super fast so that you could
hit all of the points in the agenda without us running
over the 45-minute timebox”
“I noticed a few people starting to raise their hands to
comment, and then lowering them to let you continue
through the material”
“I can see respecting people’s time is important to you,
and I appreciate that! I was thinking, next time why
don’t you block a little more time for these kinds of
discussions and make sure to build in scheduled time for
Q&A so no one feels rushed?”

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•
What Healthy Feedback Culture
Incubates
Healthy Feedback Culture is how companies and people
excel. Constructive feedback is a huge part of the journey
towards better, more satisfying work.
Teams fully invested in
each other’s success,
both as individuals and a
team
TEAMWORK
Realistic expectations
around what is
achievable, and healthy,
motivated striving to
meet expectations and
crush deadlines
REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
A team that values and
publicly celebrates
successes, AND that
respectfully challenges each
other to do better when living
outside the team’s values
CELEBRATIONS

19. Key Take Aways
Recognizing
“Midwest Nice”
in yourself and
others
Practice the
COIN model for
feedback, BOTH
with praise and
criticism
Challenge
yourself and
others to get
specific when
feedback feels
“fluffy” or
insincere
Seek the advice
of a good
coach who can
help you and
your team build
up feedback
muscles!

20. © Polaris LLC. All rights reserved. Disclosure is subject to the restriction on the title page of this document.
Virtual Feedback Workshop Join Us! Many open positions!
Questions?
Some inks will redirect you to the Polaris website, don’t worry it’ll still get to us!
OR reach out directly at adugan@3cloudsolutions.com
While you’re waiting, consider checking these out!

21. Please don’t forget to share feedback!
(both the praise and the criticism!)
*bonus points if you use COIN ;)

22. November 17, 2021
Thank you!
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