Feedback has never been easy.
Simple to understand yes, but harder to actually do well consistently. This is one of the most common topics I talk about with leaders – getting comfortable with the art and science of giving feedback.
And I understand there’s lots of things that get in the way:
- Fear of hurting feelings
- Fear of their reaction
- Emotional reactions
- Lack of clarity
- Lack of time
- Stress
But you know what really gets in the way?
Ourselves and the mistakes we make in giving good feedback.
These 4 common mistakes (sometimes referred to as the EATS framework) are:
Emotions: We struggle to maintain our own emotions, so we end up getting frustrated and yelling.
Ambiguity: We don’t give clear enough feedback, resulting in confusion.
Time: We don’t give the topic the time it deserves.
Stress: We deliver feedback when we’re stressed and not calm, making it sound threatening.
Any of those sound familiar?
So what are the right ways to give feedback?
That’s exactly what Lucie and I talked about in our podcast last week. And while we don’t reference the EATS framework (because I just learned about it!), we do cover:
- The 5 essential elements of effective feedback
- How to balance honesty with empathy
- Common feedback mistakes and how to avoid them
Stream it on Spotify, Apple, the main website or wherever you get your podcasts.
You can also watch it on YouTube here.
Is there anything we get wrong? Let me know!
Cheers,
Chris
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PS – Whenever you’re ready, I have 3 ways to help you:
- Free Strategy Assessment >> If you’re a nonprofit leader, take a free, 5-minute quiz to evaluate your nonprofit’s strategy implementation plan
- 1-hour Effective Performance Coaching Course >> If you’re a manager looking for strategies to be better at coaching your employees, take this free 1 hour course to boost up your coaching ability
- Podcast: The Art and Science of Difficult Conversations. >> If you’re interested in more ways to manage difficult conversations, I also have a podcast, Available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube
