Team story: Feedback - Say it once, Write it once!

Team story: Feedback - Say it once, Write it once!

I come from a time when feedback was often repeated and hammered in. For example, my manager at ZS would tell me to learn a new skill outside of IC every other month. However, he never assigned me any tasks related to other areas. Over time, I grew frustrated with his repetitive feedback.

In 2020, I found myself in a similar situation, but on the other side. I was giving feedback to one of my reportees at another company. He struggled to communicate effectively with his juniors, and I tried to guide him. Over four months, we had about 8-10 discussions. The result? He became angry with me and disregarded my feedback.

Having experienced both sides, I've learned that feedback should be given once, while also listening to the other person's perspective. If the behavior doesn't change, provide the feedback in writing and move on. 

If there's improvement, great. If not, assess how much the behavior impacts the project or team. If it's tolerable, accept it. If not, consider reassigning the person. But don't get stuck in a cycle of constant feedback.

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Read past stories like above at https://lnkd.in/d9ijze8r