Feedback Culture (Atomic Essay Day 07)

Earlier this month, I wrapped up a round of quarterly feedback with my manager and colleagues. At the end of every quarter, I try to spend time reflecting on what I've done in the past few months. It helps me take stock of things I have enjoyed doing and things I haven't, figure out what else I'd like to do. The 1-1 conversations with colleagues helps me look at my reflection from a different lens & gauge what people's experience with me has been.

The most interesting part of this exercise is the kind of conversations (and epiphanies) it leads to. So many colleagues have come back to me and said, "I hadn't given it any thought" or "I did not that is how something was perceived". Over time, I have seen small seeds of change being sown in these conversations - from both sides.

Sharing some frameworks I have used for these reflection and feedback sessions. For most of these, I use them first for personal reflection and then as anchors for the conversations I have with colleagues -

• What worked well & what could have better - Appreciate the positive and seek opportunities to make things better

• Start, stop, continue - Tasks, processes, projects or all

• Individual, Team, Organisation - Reflecting on the experience of the last quarter at 3 levels. More often than not we're unable to pin-point the problem because our daily experience is quite layered across all 3 levels

• 3Ps, Projects, Process, People - Another interesting lens to look at your work life. Personally, I find this extremely useful for individual reflection

Feel free to use, modify, combine the above and figure what works best for you. Holler if there is something you use for the same, I’d love to learn from you!