1. Giving and Receiving Feedback
Capgemini University
Consulting Skills Workshop
Most of us have received or given feedback
Has it been a good experience?
What is feedback intended to do?
Change behaviours
Plan – do – review
Constructive
Feedback is meant to help someone – it's not about airing your concerns or express your anger!

2. Objectives of this session
To provide a framework for feedback which you will be using this week
To identify how to give and receive feedback
Benefit from using feedback
Improves trust and communication
Better performance from team members
Feedback is an essential activity for CGE&Y.
We use feedback internally – as part of the consultant development process and management of the quality of our work.
We also use it with our clients – both ways, to confirm that they are happy with our services (e.g. OTACE) and to help them progress and become more performing by identifying opportunities for imporvement.
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 2 2

3. Coaching and feedback are critical to successful change
Coaching and feedback are fundamental tools to successfully embed behaviour and organisation change
Coaching moves an individual from a position of dependence on others to self-reliance and confidence
Coaching reinforces and supports other forms of development, such as training, reading etc.
Feedback informs continual performance improvement
Coaching needs to be done properly and not damage people
There are some key distinctions between coaching and criticising
Examples really help to make the point
Coaching and feedback both help a team member remove performance barriers and achieve aspirations
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 3

4. Feedback from team members Feedback from others e.g. sponsors
Coaching, generally ‘looking forward’, is most effective when used together with feedback after an event
PLAN DO
REVIEW
Aspirations and next steps for the future
Feedback from coach
Feedback from team members
Feedback from others e.g. sponsors
COACHING
Team issues (e.g. resolving friction with other team members)
Specific Events e.g. workshop
Political issues (e.g. H2 deal with sponsors)
Personal issues (e.g. addressing excessive workload)
Ensure trust exists prior to attempting to coach
Lessons learnt
Agree next steps with coach
Anyone can give feedback – not just the coach
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 4

5. What is feedback?
‘Someone’s opinion regarding how well they believe you or others have performed.’
PLAN DO
REVIEW
Feedback is an essential process through which we continuously improve our action – by reviewing outcome and thinking about how we could do better in the future.
Feedback formalises someone's opinion – and needs to be treated as such. It's not necessarily 'true' – but it doesn't have to be, it's true that a person thinks what they think, that's what it's all about.
Feedback is essential to team development: it ensures that individuals within the team are aware of the impact of their work, it avoids frustration to settle in and problems to emerge and remain unresolved. It also increases trust within the team – team members know they will receive honest feedback and will not have any surprise. They get to value each other and appreciate the way they help each other grow.
Regular feedback develops a team’s self-awareness and builds trust between its members
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 5

6. Feedback is key to building Trust
The Trust Formula:
T = R
C x I
T = Trust
C = Credibility
I = Intimacy
R = Risk
Feedback helps build trust by developing intimacy and credibility.
Intimacy: getting to know the other person and demonstrating your will to help them
Credibility: providing them with data point, information, etc. based on professional standards or experience they may not have.
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 6

7. Feedback is essential to develop self-awareness
Our Behaviours
Known to self
Not known to self
Public Self
Blind Area
Private self (Hidden Area)
Area of Unknown
Activity
Known to others
Feedback is about helping someone develop. It is linked to the Johari window.
The Johari window, developed by John X and Harry Y, proposes a model that explains how our behaviours are perceived and how much aware you are about your behaviour. There are 4 areas in the window:
Public self: what both you and others are aware of (give example, e.g. what you wear, the fact that you're standing, your voice…)
Private self: what you know and do but do not let others see (give example, e.g. what you're thinking about, the fact that you're very stressed delivering this module, etc.)
Blind area: what people perceive from you and you are not aware (we also call this the 'bad breath area')
Area of unknown activity: you can access it – reduce it – through specific methods and approaches (Socio-Types, LIFO, Myers-Briggs) which we will talk about later in the week.
Feedback is the process through which you get to learn something about of your blind area.
Not known to others
THE JOHARI WINDOW
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 7

8. There are two types of feedback . . .
1 Positive: strengths
“Catch people doing something right”
Identifies and reinforces behaviours that should be continued
2 Constructive: opportunities
Supports the individual
Points out behaviours that need to change
Often you encounter two more (to be avoided!)
NO feedback
Poor feedback (negative or not specific enough to do anything with)
The most important aspect of giving feedback is the “intent” of the giver
The person giving feedback must honestly answer the question, “What is my intent in giving this feedback?” If the intent is support and meant to be helpful, that will usually be communicated even if the words are not exactly right. If the intent is in any way negative, however, that will also be communicated even if the words used are positive on the surface. We have all experienced receiving a message where the words are OK but the tone says something else. (give an example)
No response is usually perceived as a negative response. Both types feedback are important. Often times we operate under the “no news is good news” theory. We seldom provide positive feedback. People are expected to assume that everything is going well unless they hear otherwise. This approach can foster a “who cares” attitude, no matter how exceptionally well the individual is doing. This failure to provide positive feedback will eventually result in the individual’s failure to perform at a satisfactory level.
B’s before C’s
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 8

9. Describing specific, observed behaviours and associated impact
Good feedback is
Describing specific, observed behaviours and associated impact
From direct observation vs. heard from someone else
Descriptive – not evaluative
Specific rather than general
Aware of the needs of the giver AND receiver
Focused on behaviours that can be changed
Timely
Checked to ensure communication
Given in a caring and constructive manner
Think through the message that is conveyed when giving feedback. Focus only on the behavioral aspects and what the individual can change.
Feedback is useful, and of high value to the received when it is:
Descriptive rather then evaluative. By describing the giver’s reactions, it leaves the receiver free to accept or reject the response. By avoiding evaluative language, it reduces the need for the individual to react defensively.
Specific rather than general. Being told that one is dominating will probably not be as useful as being given an example: “Just now when we were deciding the issue, you did not listen to what others said, and I felt forced to accept your arguments or face attack from you.”
Aware of the needs of both the receiver and giver of feedback. Feedback can be destructive when it serves only the giver’s needs and fails to consider the needs of the person on the receiving end.
Directed toward behavior that the receiver can change. Frustration is only increased when a person is reminded of some shortcoming that cannot be controlled (e.g., physical abnormality
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 9

10. Constructive feedback must be handled with care
Constructive feedback is risky…
Constructive feedback is not…
Often negative experience for both parties
Can alienate
Hostile
Angry
Generally non-cooperative
Critical
Waffle
About winning or losing
About venting
Wording can make it or break it!
It is therefore essential to use constructive phrasing:
"How to (H2)… progress / improve," rather than "You did it wrong"
"I wish I knew (IWIK)… what this means," rather than "This doesn't mean anything"
Emphasize that the class may experience some resistance when providing constructive feedback. Refer to the module on managing resistance and conflict resolution for how to handle it.
Mindset: How to help other person be successful
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 10

11. There are some simple guidelines to follow when giving feedback
A Process
Lessons Learned
Give one or two headlines – don’t produce a list
Start with positive statements
to relax the situation and give balance
if you cannot think of anything positive, you are probably too angry
Make the feedback specific
Avoid general comments
Don’t exaggerate and avoid words like ‘always’ or ‘never’
Cite specific examples / data which means that you need to be well prepared
Refer to things which can be changed
Avoid the “you are too short” type of statements
Ensure that the receiver is open
Find an appropriate time and space
Give the feedback
Agree?
It is OK to ask the feedback receiver: a. if they want feedback, b. how they like to receive it, etc.
As with many things – but especially because feedback is a delicate matter and can be a painful experience – there is a process to give feedback.
It is essential to start with the positive because if you start with the negative, the positive will not be heard – the receiver will be too busy trying to resolve the problem you pointed.
Yes No
Seek a solution together
Agree to disagree
Based on: Joanna Bisdee (1998), Realising Your Potential, Life Directions, Mayfair, London
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 11

12. A good feedback process is designed to help the person be successful in the future1 4 3 2
What the person thinks of his / her behaviour
What are the facts?
What you think of his / her behaviour
What is the impact
What needs to be changed in the future
Think about why you are giving feedback – is it for you or the recipient?
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 12

13. To minimize resistance, ensure that constructive feedback . . .
Is motivated by an honest attempt to help both the individual and the organization
Is based on dialogue, not monologue – talk with the individual, not at him / her
Is given at time / place individual is ready to receive
Results in a consensus about the problem
Focuses on behaviour / performance – not personality
Offers specific suggestions for improvement
Concludes with specific action plans
Feedback is constructive when…
The recipient has done something
The recipient had a success or failure
The recipient has time to listen
… it is invited
In trying to minimize negative situations, the format Plan-Do-Review process of providing coaching/feedback should be followed.
It can’t be emphasized enough that this is not an attempt to hurt, punish, or humiliate the individual but to help them (whether they think they need it or not). It is also imperative that the setting be right – their unpreparedness to receive the feedback will reduce the chances of its acceptance.
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 13

14. Follow some simple rules and you will give good feedback to others
Prepare
Check if the person is happy to receive feedback
Find an appropriate time and place
Ask and Listen
Start with the positives
Be specific
Talk about opportunities – H2 / IWIK
Avoid listing however tempting
Give examples
Check for understanding
If you prepare the feedback session well, you should actually have little to do in the session – the recipient of the feedback will develop the content himself/herself.
Getting the listener to review their own performance first, often covers 80% of the feedback you would have given them
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 14

15. The focus of feedback is not personal criticism
Examples of Errors
Criticising
Feedback
Person Vs. Problem
“Bill, you are a walking disaster”
“Bill you seemed to have a problem when tackling this. Let’s understand where the problems are and see what I can do to help you move it forwards …”
General Vs. Specific
“You are rude to people”
“When you said blah blah blah to Bob and stared him right in the eyes for 5 seconds, I felt you came across as aggressive and a bully”
Blame Vs. Change
“Mary, why did you let defects get so high?”
“Mary, let’s talk about how we can get the defects back under control”
Personality Vs. Behaviour
“You are too quiet”
“You have some really good ideas but you don’t seem to share them with the team. How can we as a team work with you to help bring them out?”
Feedback should be targeted at behaviour, NOT personality and should always be constructive
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 15

16. There are some simple guidelines to follow when receiving feedback
A Process
Lessons Learned
It is easy to stop listening when you don’t agree
Show that you are listening by maintaining eye-contact
When receiving feedback, stay calm and relaxed
Don’t become defensive too quickly
Keep asking for specific examples / data until you are clear
If necessary, agree to seek a second opinion from another source
Always acknowledge that you have understood the feedback, even if you disagree with it
Listen Actively
Validate by asking for more information / examples
Is it valid?
Yes No
Seek a solution together
Thank them and agree to disagree
Based on: Joanna Bisdee (1998), Realising Your Potential, Life Directions, Mayfair, London
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 16

17. If you are receiving feedback …
Use the process
Don’t take it personally
Don’t get defensive
Use active listening skills
Take advantage of the opportunity to improve
Treat it as a “gift”
Listen and keep on listening
Make sure you are happy to receive feedback
Ask for specifics and examples
Ask for suggestions on what to do differently
Seek second opinions if necessary
Say ‘Thank-you’
Point out to the class that it is important to remember that the person who is providing the feedback is probably as uncomfortable as you are. Try to work through the process in the same manner as if you were providing the feedback, Plan-Do-Review. When you find out that you are going to have a feedback session, start to think about what you expect to get out of it.
The first thing to remember is that there are specific behaviors that need improvement. It is not you personally. Focus on those behaviors. Use active listening skills to make sure you understand what behaviors are being discussed. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
The person receiving the feedback should take the lead in developing corrective action steps
It’s one person’s perception. It’s one data point
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 17

18. Summary
Feedback is essential to the way Capgemini work, both internally and with our clients
Feedback must be given in a caring manner – the aim is to help the person who receives it develop and improve
Always start with positive feedback (B's before C's). The recipient will more likely listen
Effective feedback requires careful preparation – and follow the process
Ask participants to summarise the session (5 min) then show the slide only if there is something missing.
© 2005 Capgemini - All rights reserved
CSW / Giving and Receiving Feedback / 18 2