Green and Red Feedback. I hate String Beans.

There are fine differences in how to give feedback. And they make a huge difference on a corporate culture over-all!

It’s not so difficult, though, if you stick to some simple basics.

You are very likely to end up in a Watering Hole, and asked to give good feedback. See my post “Pitching and Watering Hole. Months become Days.” for more on this. You are a very important source for champions and their teams.

So, let them have the best of you! Really.

(c) Michal Boubin|123rf.com

“Dinner’s ready!”

Here’s a situation from our dinner table. We’re all seated and start serving. The moment, I lift the lid and the kids see that we’ll be having string beans as a side dish. I hear:

A) “Oh no, I don’t like string beans!”

B) “String beans are really bad, so yack!”

Now, my wife will react in different ways:

to A) she’ll say: “Thank you for letting us know. But that’s what we’re having, because today I cooked something that is healthy, and also, I really like string beans. Bon Appetit!”

to B) she’ll say: “Watch it! That is not up to you to judge for everyone. I, for example, love string beans. So, young man, try version A. Bon Appetit!”

Use “I”-messages!

From my experience I can’t stress enough what a difference this makes! It seems like such a tiny difference, not so important. But we couldn’t be more wrong. Especially in a business context, to understand this is, is really valuable. And, again it takes a lot of discipline. Especially for management.

But if you stick to this, the resulting change in culture, the way you treat each other will change impressively. Try it out!

You don’t even need to tell anyone. Just start. I’ve seen managers do that in their board meetings and after a couple of weeks others had started copying the first one, some probably without consciously realizing. It was just a more successful way – and copied naturally. The mood, groove in these meetings changed remarkably to a more constructive, direct, open, transparent way. Nice.

Remember that feedback is a gift.

You’re feeding back your perception. Don’t expect anything in return – maybe, a “Thank You”.

(c) amasterpics|123rf.com

Let the recipient do with it what she/he wants to do with it.

Let the champion be a champion, and take the responsibility for the next steps.

Green and Red Feedback.

And, last, even if you mean well, don’t start with what you would do differently, what you would improve, what you don’t like or don’t understand.

Start with positive feedback. We call it green feedback. Things you like, you love, that touch you. Aspects that make you want to jump on board of that project. Revelations that have just moved you, made you want to run to other colleagues to let them know about that idea.

From my experience it is amazing how much more receptive a champion with his team is to take on new feedback on board, if you start with green. It suddenly is so much easer to consider for change and improvement of their baby, if you know that the core is already so good and receive so much green feedback. Everybody wins!

And only then go into red feedback. “…what you would do differently, what you would improve, what you don’t like or don’t understand, etc.” – and also complete your sentence with an idea on how to go about it, how to find out more, who to talk to, with whom to test this. You want to help. It’s like among friends.

Unfortunately you are not part of the core team of this really cool project. But with your expertise and your perspective you can support and help them develop it into something great. Or you help the champion to come to the conclusion to stop now. (That’s also important!). But it is the champion with the team that decides.

Think about giving feedback among friends. (Or do you really all want to be competitors at your company?)

A Feedback Sheet

I’ve put together a feedback sheet to be used to take notes during a pitch, that follows the basics just displayed here.

Download the Feedback Sheet (1 page)

Let me know how this works for you.