Few phrases make people brace faster than "Can I give you some feedback?" Most of us agree feedback is essential to learning and growth. In practice, though, it's often avoided, delayed, softened until it means nothing, or delivered in ways that leave people defensive, confused or discouraged. Inconsistent feedback also shapes culture. It affects who gets developed, who gets overlooked and who stops speaking up.
In this session, we'll look at why feedback feels so hard for both the person giving it and the person receiving it. We'll also look at how emotion, power and past experience shape what gets said and what gets heard. You'll explore practical, easy-to-remember approaches for offering feedback that is direct and supportive, and for receiving feedback with curiosity rather than defensiveness.
The higher you go in an organization, the less honest feedback you tend to receive, and the more your own approach to feedback shapes everyone else's. Whether you're leading an organization, a team, a committee or simply your own growth, you'll leave with language and tools you can use in your very next conversation.
