Feedback and Reflection Sessions

Most leaders say they want feedback. Few are ready to hear it. Reflection and vulnerability unlock real change, yet they are hard for leaders to embrace. I did a difficult thing the other day. I told my team a decision I made was wrong. They executed flawlessly — but the outcome missed. I was given feedback which was tough to hear, but the decision was mine. I shared it with my team to be open and show how it helped me reflect, be vulnerable, and find a better path — one that will drive better results. Let’s be honest: vulnerability doesn’t come naturally. Some leaders can’t accept it. Their defensive shields stay up. Their egos get in the way. The dilemma? Breakthroughs happen when leaders are vulnerable and reflect. It opens the door to evolution — even revolution. The best way to initiate vulnerability and reflection? Real, direct feedback — the kind that might sting. What if leaders struggle with real feedback? I’ve seen it firsthand in strategy engagements powered by The Toughest Opponent (TTO). Halfway through TTO, we take executives into “The Arena” — a two-day immersive off-site. We split the team in two, with one team playing the "anti-company," tasked with exploiting weaknesses. There are real stakes. Winning demands real reflection and vulnerability. At the end of Day 1, both teams present to a panel of influential judges — insiders and outsiders — who deliver direct, sometimes blunt feedback. This triggers the stages of reflection (similar to the stages of grief): Denial: "The judges didn’t get it." Anger: "That feedback was unfair." Depression: "I let my team down." At this point, most teams lower their shields and move into: Reflection: "Let’s unpack what went wrong." Reinvigoration: "We know how to fix this." Relentless Drive: "Let’s go crush our opponents with brilliance." They become a high-performing machine on Day 2. But when leaders don’t lower their shields, teams go a different path: Defensiveness: "It was the exercise that failed." Revolt: "We’ll prove it wasn’t us." The opponent becomes the exercise — not the competition. Those teams fall short. How do you stop this? It’s instinctive to protect your ego when feedback hits hard. But real change requires forcing the shields down and leaning into discomfort. I’ve seen incredible transformations when leaders choose reflection and lean in. One leader, after a rough Day 1 loss, told his team he would step down if someone else could lead better. His team rallied behind him because he was real. The next day, they dominated — building choices that redefined the company. What happens to the ones who stay defensive? They miss the opportunity to disrupt — and rise. If you can’t lower your shields, you can’t lead at the level the future demands. What’s stronger in you — your need to be right, or your desire to grow? #leadership #growthmindset #vulnerability #feedback #reflection #TTO #disruption #leadershipdevelopment #executivemindset #culturetransformation

If you want to hear honest, helpful feedback from each member of your team, try a version of this... Our rhythm has evolved over time, and with varying degrees of consistency, but for years, we've been sitting with each member of the Guild Collective team, every quarter, for one specific purpose. To listen to them. We clarify the intention of the time on the front end with three main ground-rules: - This is a safe spot to share freely. - All of this is confidential (unless you ask for it to be shared with others). - This is not a performance review, it's simply a chance to listen and see your perspective. Regardless of "level" or who reports to who or what size the business has been in the varying states, it's impossible to overstate how critical this investment of time is. It used to just be me and the team member, but with Racheal Burnett's ascending role (and impact) in our business, it's now the team member and the two of us with listening ears on. We call the time: Perspectives. And we kick them off with our crew this week again. We're doing this twice a year instead of four times, with the off quarters being the performance review rhythm (we call that Pathways). It's great to hear the stuff that's going well for people and the business in these sessions. That's always rewarding. But it's the tricky stuff, the warning lights, the drama (if and when there is some), and the danger areas that are the most important. And without the formal permission for them to share directly with us in a consistent, safe space, that feedback likely never makes its way to us. As with all aspects of leadership, the real risk is the 'then what's' that come after these meetings. Great. You listened to me. That's cool. What will you do about it now? Maybe it's dramatic, but I can't think of any specific thing that has led to more breakthroughs and big decisions being made in our business than these meetings. No surprise. When you give your team a huge voice, they have great (and important) things to say. Here's the template we use. Racheal asks the team member to schedule time in certain blocks (60 minutes is usually enough but often you'll need more), make a copy of this document, and then fill it out 48 hours before we meet. And then, we meet. And listen. Feel free to take the template and make it your own if it's helpful. Happy listening.

Do your learners treat training as a “one and done” activity, only to forget what they’ve learned later? 🤔 Meaningful learning isn’t something that happens all at once. It’s a process that builds over time. Learners need repeated opportunities to engage with the material, apply what they’ve learned, and adjust based on feedback. Providing timely feedback throughout this process is essential for reinforcing learning and encouraging growth. Without it, learners are left guessing whether they’re on the right track. For example, consider a leadership training program that teaches conflict resolution skills. Instead of a single role-play exercise meant as an assessment, imagine a variety of activities sprinkled throughout the course. During one activity, learners might identify and label conflict styles. Later, they practice techniques for de-escalating tense conversations. After each activity, they receive targeted feedback like, “You showed empathy well, but next time, try rephrasing to clarify the other person’s point.” Over time, this iterative learning process helps learners refine their skills and gain confidence. Want to make learning iterative and impactful? Try this! ⬇️ 👉 Plan for multiple touchpoints. Create spaced activities that revisit key concepts, giving learners opportunities to deepen their understanding over time. 👉 Use actionable feedback. Go beyond “correct” or “incorrect.” Highlight what they did well and give specific advice on what to improve. 👉 Include self-reflection with feedback. Encourage learners to reflect on their progress after receiving feedback. Ask questions like, “What will you do differently next time?” 👉 Incorporate peer feedback. In group settings, allow learners to give constructive feedback to each other, which can deepen their own understanding. Learning is a journey, not a sprint. When we provide timely feedback and give learners the chance to revisit concepts, we set them up for long-term success. ---------------------- Hi! I'm Elizabeth! 👋 💻 I specialize in eLearning development, where I create engaging courses that are designed to change the behavior of the learner to meet the needs of the organization. Follow me for more, and reach out if you need a high-quality innovative learning solution. 🤝 #InstructionalDesign #IterativeLearning #FeedbackMatters #eLearning #LearnerEngagement #AdultLearning #LearningAndDevelopment

Imagine you're walking into a meeting room, knowing you're about to discuss the annual performance feedback with one of your team members. Your palms are sweaty, and your heart is racing—not because you're unprepared, but because you're unsure of how the person would take the feedback. Feedback sessions can be nerve-wracking for both the giver and the receiver. But what if someone told you that feedback, when done correctly, could actually be a powerful tool to foster personal growth and team success? People at large often view feedback as a daunting task. The Biggest Myth is the common misconception that feedback is about the individual rather than their behaviours. Many leaders also hesitate to give feedback, fearing that it might hurt feelings or demotivate team members. However, the real issue is typically a lack of preparation. Effective feedback requires observation—increasingly difficult in today's hybrid work environments—data to back up claims and a clear understanding of expectations. Without these elements, feedback sessions can seem unfounded and personal rather than objective and developmental. When I took over team management for the first time in 2008, I was trained to use various methods of giving feedback, including the well-known Sandwich or Hamburger Technique. However, one model that has stayed with me is the Situation-Behaviour-Impact (SBI) model. It helped me focus on specific situations, the behaviours I observe, and the impacts these behaviours have on the team or project. Focusing on instances and outcomes allows feedback to be less about the person and more about their actions within a context, making it easier to digest and act upon. Instead of "You're not collaborating effectively," which is vague and can feel like a personal attack, one can say, "During yesterday's meeting, when you interrupted your colleague, it created tension and disrupted the workflow. Let's explore ways to express your ideas while also encouraging others to share theirs." This not only clarifies the issue but also provides a constructive pathway for improvement. Fostering an environment where feedback is regularly shared is an integral part of the leader's role. Top leaders ensure that feedback is a regular weekly process, not just a quarterly event. This shift in perspective can significantly change how team members perceive and react to feedback. The art of giving feedback is crucial for leadership and team development. Have you or someone in your team struggled to give or receive feedback? How do you incorporate feedback into your daily routine to create a positive impact on your team? If you like this, follow Gopal A Iyer for more. In Pic: A Veg Burger at Cafe Trofima in Mumbai - Inspiration for today's post! :) #Feedback #Annualperformancereviews #LIPostingChallengeIndia

🔍 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐘𝐏 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐬 🌱 Creating a strong feedback culture in an IB PYP classroom is essential for student growth, reflection, and agency. Feedback should be constructive, continuous, and student-centered, allowing learners to take ownership of their progress. But how can we ensure that feedback is meaningful and engaging? Here are 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 that can help foster an effective feedback culture in your classroom: ✨ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 "𝐅𝐢𝐱 𝐈𝐭" 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭 – Encourage students to maintain a list of areas they need to improve. This strategy promotes self-reflection and goal setting. ⭐ 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡 – A simple yet powerful peer and self-assessment tool where students highlight two things they did well and one area for improvement. 💡 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐰 & 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 – Students and teachers use "Glow" (positive feedback) and "Grow" (constructive feedback) statements to guide reflection and progress. 🔄 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐥 – Students rotate in small groups, giving and receiving feedback on each other’s work, ensuring varied perspectives and deeper insights. 📝 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 – A quick and effective way to gauge student understanding at the end of a lesson. Students write reflections or questions on a sticky note before leaving. 🔍 𝐈 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐈 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐈 𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 – A structured reflection framework that encourages students to observe, inquire, and provide constructive feedback. 📌 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐥 – A collaborative space where students leave anonymous or named feedback on their peers' work, promoting a supportive learning environment. 🚦 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – A self-assessment tool where students use red, yellow, and green indicators to express their level of understanding and confidence in a topic. 🤝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫-𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 – One-on-one discussions between educators and students that allow for personalized feedback and targeted support. By incorporating these strategies, we empower students to develop their metacognitive skills, become reflective learners, and take ownership of their learning journey. 🌍✨ 📌 What feedback strategies do you use in your classroom? Share your thoughts in the comments! ⬇️ 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐀𝐩𝐩 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲:-. https://lnkd.in/gzX_x8Hj 𝐓𝐨 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐏𝐘𝐏 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐭: https://lnkd.in/g2ijMEsW #inquiryClassroom #IBPYP #StudentAgency #FeedbackCulture #InquiryBasedLearning #IBEducation #Reflection #AssessmentForLearning #PeerFeedback #GrowthMindset

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗣𝗗 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 Here's what separates adaptive facilitators from reactive ones: They have a reflection practice that turns difficult moments into learning opportunities. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 "𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲"—𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗜𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: • What went well? (Start with strengths) • What felt challenging? • What emotions am I experiencing right now? • What would I do differently next time? 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲 (𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆): • What triggered me during that session? • How did my identity/background influence what happened? • What unmet needs might participants have had? • What assumptions did I make that didn't serve me? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: • What feedback am I avoiding or dismissing? • What patterns do I notice in my facilitation challenges? • Who could give me a different perspective on what happened? • What do I need to learn or practice before my next session? 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀? 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗼-𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀—𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗹, 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲? 👇 P.S. If you want to grow as a PD facilitator, here’s my free Three Mistakes You’re Making with Your PD… and What to Do Instead tool: https://lnkd.in/guKwkGyu #Reflection #ProfessionalDevelopment #AdaptiveFacilitation #ContinuousLearning

𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸. Or at least, stop leading with it 👀 Next time your team member finishes a project, don’t immediately jump into evaluation mode. Instead, pause and ask:"𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥?" 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰. ⤷ Instead of criticism, it invites self-reflection. ⤷ Instead of defensiveness, it creates dialogue. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿: ➡️ Was the issue about unclear expectations, or was it in the execution? ➡️ Can your team member accurately self-assess their own performance? ➡️ Is there context or insight you might have missed? 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼: you gain deeper context to inform better guidance. 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁-𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼: you help your people become stronger at assessing and improving their own work, turning you from a critic into a true coach. 🔸 Feedback isn’t always what people need first. Often, what they really need is space to reflect, learn, and grow. 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲.

Want Better Feedback from Your Group? Try This! Getting honest feedback in group coaching can be tough, especially when most of the magic happens in breakout rooms. A new group coach in our community program recently shared: “My participants keep showing up, so I guess that’s a good sign, but they’re not filling out my surveys.” Sound familiar? Here’s a simple shift: Don’t call it a survey! Call it a reflection form and ask participants to fill it out at the end of the session. Instead of asking generic feedback questions, try: ❓ What were two insights you gained today? ❓What did you most enjoy and why? ❓What could your coach have done better in this session? This not only gives you better feedback, but it also deepens learning and self-awareness for your participants. Want more engaged reflection? Create space for it during the session! #GroupCoaching #ProfessionalDevelopment #coaching #CoachingSkills #CoachTraining

Reflections. When do you do them during your sessions? Do you wait until the very end? Sure, that is one way — it's not the only way. I love to do mini-reflections after activities. Or spread them throughout. Here's some ways to do that! I Like, I Wish ↳ Use a quick 3-5 minute I Like, I Wish — for this piece because it's so quick you can take off the "I Wonder" that is usually part of this activity. Use it directly after an activity, build it into your virtual board, or use it for an in-person workshop. Duck Pond ↳ Use something physical in an in-person workshop to see where people are throughout the sessions for a vibe check. ↳ Here's one I've used before: have people use their *duck* from their Lego activity where we built ducks as a warm-up, and place them in certain parts of a pong image you set up on a flat table (parts of the pond might say *relaxed* *Keeping my head above water* *feel like I'm sinking*, etc ↳ Have people move their ducks to the part of the pond that represents what they feel at any point in the workshop — you can also set designated times to send them to the pond. It can be anonymous, OR you can have people use a strip of sticky note under the duck with their name These are just a few reflection activities to get you started. I'd love to hear your thoughts and learn about the reflection activities you use. Share your ideas in the comments below! 💜 --- Found this useful? 🔄 Repost for your network. 🎉 Want to work with me to build custom reflection activities for your workshops?! Reach out!