Semira Rahemtulla led a communication workshop focused on effective feedback and building psychological safety. She discussed models for understanding intentions, impacts, and behaviors in communication. Rahemtulla emphasized giving feedback focused on observable behaviors and their impact, and asking for the other perspective. Examples were provided for giving both constructive criticism and compliments. Creating a culture of appreciation through self-disclosure and managing defensiveness when receiving feedback were also covered.

1. Communication Workshop
Semira Rahemtulla
Oct 23, 2017

2. Who am I?
• Co-founder/CEO of PlayTell
• Director, Product Mgmt @ Guidewire
(IPO 2010, $4B+ market cap)
• UX Designer @ multiple startups
• Harvard Ed.M Technology In Education
• Stanford B.S. Computer Science
Semira Rahemtulla
Cofounder of InnerSpace

3. One Big Idea

4. INTENT
Needs
Motives
Stories
Reality #2
IMPACT
Assumptions
Feelings
Responses
Reality #3
3 Realities (The “Net” Model)
The Net
BEHAVIOR
Verbal
Non-Verbal
Reality #1
Shared

5. Feelings & Emotions – Why??Feelings & Emotions – Why??

6. Exercise #1: If You Really Knew Me…
• Each person gets 2min to complete the
sentence “If you really knew me (right now)….”
• No responses except “Thank you”

7. Self-Disclosure
Will I be less
liked,
respected,
influential
(leader-like)?
Is it relevant?
Will it further the
discussion – the
relationship?
Will others
use this
information
against me?
How will
others
see/assess/
judge me?
“What in
my ‘bubble’
should I
share?”
Self-Disclosure

8. “ VULNERABILITY IS
THE BIRTHPLACE
OF CONNECTION. ”
BRENÉ
BROWN

9. Google’s
Project
Aristotle

10. Team norms that foster psychological safety
Psychological safety is ‘‘a sense of confidence that the team will
not embarrass, reject or punish someone for speaking up,’’
‘‘It describes a team climate characterized by interpersonal trust
and mutual respect in which people are comfortable being
themselves.’’
Working AgreementsEffective Teams

11. Feedback & Influence

12. Photo:RobbieGrubbs
Can I give you some feedback?

13. So… how do we communicate feedback
while minimizing defensiveness?

14. INTENT
Needs
Motives
Stories
Reality #2
IMPACT
Assumptions
Feelings
Responses
Reality #3
3 Realities (The “Net” Model)
The Net
BEHAVIOR
Verbal
Non-Verbal
Reality #1
Shared

15. Benefits of Self-Disclosure / VulnerabilityHow to Give Effective Feedback
“When you do [x]…”
Focus on specific, observable behavior
"I feel [y]…”
Describe the impact of that behavior on you (disclosure)
“Can you tell me what’s going on for you?”
Ask about the other person’s intentions and perspective
Stay on your side of the net!

16. Benefits of Self-Disclosure / VulnerabilityLet’s try some examples…
1. Olof, you clearly don’t care about this presentation.
2. Olof, I noticed that you are looking at your phone. You are
clearly bored with this presentation.
3. Olof, I noticed that you are looking at your phone. I am
feeling anxious about what message that might send to
others in the room.

17. Benefits of Self-Disclosure / VulnerabilityHow to Give Effective Feedback
Step 1: Open with mutual goals and positive intent.
What do you really want for this relationship?
What is your intention in giving this feedback?
Step 2: Stay on your side of the net
a. Stick to observable behavior (“When you did [x]…”)
b. Share your reaction (“I felt [y], and my story is [z]”)
c. Ask for their perspective (“What was going on for you?”)
Step 3: Enter joint problem-solving.
State your requests and preferences
Decide together how to make things better.
Design some experiments.

18. Photo by Ana Karenina [link]
1:1 Feedback

19. Exercise #4: Complimentary Feedback
Think of one thing your coworker does that
you really appreciate
1. Describe the behavior as specifically as
possible
2. Describe the impact the behavior has on
you

20. #1 Factor for Happiness
on the Job:
Feeling appreciated
-- 2014 BCG/The Network survey of 200K employees

21. Benefits of Self-Disclosure / VulnerabilityBuilding a culture of appreciation
1. Create a space for it
2. Lead by example

22. Benefits of Self-Disclosure / VulnerabilityReceiving Feedback
Manage your own defensiveness
• Notice it
• Name it: “Affect Labeling”
Goal is understanding, not winning
• “What I heard you say…”
• “Can you tell me more about that?"
Gift mentality: Say “Thank you!”

23. Benefits of Self-Disclosure / VulnerabilityLast Reminder
Stay on your side of the net:
When you do [x]…
I feel [y]…
And my thoughts are [z].
Can you tell me what’s going on for you?
Use the Vocabulary of Emotions.

24. Thanks, good-bye, and stay on
your side of the net 