Presentation on inclusive feedback.

1. Effective Feedback for All:
Understanding & Interrupting Implicit Bias
in Feedback & Evaluation Processes
Presented by:
Dr. Arin N. Reeves
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2. The Different Levels of Feedback
Challenges of Giving & Getting Feedback
Effective Strategies to Reduce Bias in Informal Feedback
Effective Strategies for Formal Evaluations
EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK FOR ALL
AGENDA

3. EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK FOR ALL
COMMON CHALLENGES
EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK FOR ALL
THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF FEEDBACK
Informal
Feedback
Intermediate
Feedback
Formal
Feedback
• Conversational
• Immediate/Quick
• Specific Project/Task
• Structured Conversation
• Planned & Frequent
• Retrospective on Short Periods of
Time (6 months or less)
• Structured Written Evaluations
• Structured Verbal Delivery of
Written Evaluations
• Retrospective on Long Periods of
Time (7-12 months or longer)

4. Not knowing what
behaviors to change.
Disregard for any
kind of feedback;
Discomfort with
providing or getting
constructive
feedback.
Common
Challenges
EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK FOR ALL
COMMON CHALLENGES
Presence of anger,
frustration, irritation,
stress and/or exhaustion
while giving or getting
feedback.
Differences in
backgrounds,
experiences,
personalities, and
expectations between
people.
EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK FOR ALL
CHALLENGES IN GIVING & GETTING EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK
Constructive
Feedback Positive
Feedback

5. EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK FOR ALL
THE IMPACT OF FEEDBACK CHALLENGES (GENDER EXAMPLE)

6. EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK FOR ALL
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR INFORMAL FEEDBACK
Plan the Conversation
• Make it a habit.
• Integrate it into “end of project,”
“end of week,” etc. checklists.
• Hold yourself accountable for
having frequent and short
feedback conversations.
• Hold yourself accountable for
not putting something in a
formal conversation that has not
already been shared with the
person.
• Think of feedback as a gift (an
investment) and recognize if
there are some people who are
getting a greater investment
from you than others.
• Think of feedback as a necessary
component to growing and
developing as a professional.
Mitigate the Discomfort
• Invest in building trust in the
relationship when feedback is
not involved.
• Account for differences in
thinking about communication
preferences, objectives, styles,
etc.
• Walk while you have the
conversation or angle chairs.
• Do not have feedback
conversations over meals.
• Avoid having “negative” or
“venting” conversations with
others about people.
• Focus on behaviors not your
opinions.
Have the Conversation
• Identify physical and mental
vulnerabilities for relying on
cognitive shortcuts.
• Pay attention to “…, but…”
signals.
• Pay attention to “think,” “feel,”
“in my opinion,” “seems,”
“maybe,” “can’t imagine” type of
signals.
• Pay attention to lack of
behavioral evidence for
evaluative judgments.
• Provide more information with
“what I meant by,” “here are
some examples of,” “here is how
I would have liked it to look
different” type of follow up
information.

7. EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK FOR ALL
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR WRITING EVALUATIONS
Plan the Evaluation
• Set aside 15-20 minute chunks in
your calendar to do evaluations.
• Do evaluations in the mornings if
possible.
• Create a list of 10 positive and 5
negative characteristics and stick
to the list.
• Take some time to think about
the full period under review to
avoid recency error.
• Ask yourself if a mistake is
fixable or fatal before writing
down your evaluation.
• Focus on behaviors that you
would like the person to do/not
do instead of your opinion of the
person.
Mitigate the Bias
• Account for differences in
thinking about communication
preferences, objectives, styles,
etc.
• Be mindful of and avoid
cognitive drains as you write the
evaluations.
Write the Evaluation
• Write evaluations in either
random order or hardest to
easiest.
• Ask yourself if you have already
shared this feedback with the
person. If not, ask yourself, why
not.
• Write narratives in simple
sentences to avoid “but”
statements.
• Avoid words like “seems,”
“maybe,” “in my opinion,” etc.
• Focus on behaviors that you
would recommend keeping,
stopping, and starting.
• Read the evaluation after you are
finished writing it.
• Give yourself permission to
change your mind.

8. EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK FOR ALL
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR FEEDBACK
Opinion: [Great job! Should keep it up.] [Needs to pay more attention to detail.] [Did a great job on x, but
I’m worried about y and z.] [Okay but needs to step it up.] [Very strong. Can see them as a real leader
here.]
Feedback:
• Did a great job on x by doing a, b, and c. Should continue to do this in the future.
• Needed to pay more attention to detail in emails to others, need to proofread emails, and need to ask
more detailed questions when receiving an assignment, on calls with clients, etc.
• Did a great job on x. Need to do a, b, and c in order to improve in y.
• Exhibited leadership capabilities in the following areas…
• Keep doing x. Stop doing y. Start doing z.

9. FEEDBACK IN ACTION
A FEW FINAL THOUGHTS
• You are always giving and getting feedback whether or not you realize it.
The more deliberate the feedback, the more effective the feedback.
• Constructive feedback (giving or getting) is difficult for most people, but it
is necessary for advancement of any type.
• You can reduce bias in constructive feedback through behavioral details
and using the past tense instead of the present tense.
• In order for feedback to be effective, you have to know and communicate
what you want the person to do or say differently.
• Delivering and getting effective written and/or verbal feedback is a skill.
Practice will make it easier.
• Taking the time to deliver effective feedback takes less time than working
with people who do not know or understand your expectations or who are
upset with you.
• It is unrealistic to expect someone to receive feedback comfortably if you
are uncomfortable in delivering it and vice versa.

10. real world research & effective solutions to change your workplace for good
Q&A
Thank you!