GIVING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK AND CRITICISM

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GIVING AND RECEIVING FEEDBACK AND CRITICISM

• King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
• Saudi Arabia
• April 2002
• S. J. Piccinin, Ph.D.

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Objectives
Characteristics
Concept
Importance
Feedback and Criticism
Application
Effects
Obstacles
Components
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Feedback - Definition

• Information about current or past
  behaviour/performance fed back to an individual
  by someone else (peer, coach, supervisor).
• Ilger, Fisher, Taylor, 1979

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Criticism - Definition

• To communicate evaluative information to others
  in a way that enables them to use it to their
  advantage and benefit.

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Types of Criticism
negative
positive
rounded
uncritical
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Theoretical Approaches to Giving
Feedback/Criticism

• Should be primarily descriptive (neo-progressive
  view) (client-centred)
• Should be evaluative (neo-traditionalist view)
  (supervisor-centred)
• Should be collaborative (revisionist) (sharing of
  responsibility for and ownership of the appraisal)

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Why Does Negative Feedback/Criticism Seem So Much
More Powerful than Positive?

• Attribution Theory
• Biological Theory

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Effective Feedback / Criticism General
Guidelines

• Solicited
• Given with attentiveness caring, respect
• Well timed
• Clear, direct
• Specific, behavioural
• Best given in context of a relationship

• Directed only at behaviour that can be changed
• Rounded
• Positives first
• Overall effect is supportive
• Direction for improvement suggested
• Accurate

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Verbal Components in Giving Criticism

• I statements
• Specificity
• Clarity
• Check for understanding

• Empathy
• Suggestions
• Cushion the negative
• Control emotion

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Verbal Components in Receiving Criticism

• Paraphrase
• Ask for precision
• Agree - Disagree
• State your intention
• Correct misperception
• Set limits

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Giving and Receiving Criticism Non Verbal
Components

• Gestures
• Distance
• Word fluency
• Time and place

• Eye contact
• Voice
• Facial expression
• Body posture

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Prior to Giving Feedback / Criticism
Consider

• What is the object of the criticism?
• What is my objective or goal?
• Is change possible?
• What change is desired?
• How can empathy be expressed?
• Is the time and place right?

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Prior to Giving Criticism
Consideration

• Criticism is necessary
• No one is PERFECT
• Understand BEFORE responding
• Criticism is directed at BEHAVIOUR

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Beliefs About Criticism
Counterproductive beliefs
Giving Criticism
Receiving Criticism
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Feedback and Criticism
Comments most frequently heard from students

• Not enough
• Not soon enough
• Not useable - usually not specific enough
• Not rounded
• Evaluative / interpretive rather than descriptive
• Too much all at once

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Feedback and Criticism
What can Professors do?
COMMENTS
What can students do?
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Feedback and CriticismWhat can Professors do?

• Give only as much as student can use(more
  frequent - less at a time)
• Check for understanding
• Model asking for feedback / criticism
• Model receivingfeedback / criticism
• Develop skills
• Check your attitude

• Providefeedback / criticism more frequently
• Provide it sooner
• Be more descriptive
• Be more specific
• Make it more rounded

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Feedback / CriticismWhat can students do?

• Request it more frequently
• Make request more specific
• Develop skills of giving and receiving?
• Check attitudes?

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Feedback - Definition

• Verbal or non verbal communication (to a person
  or group) providing them with information as to
  how their behaviour is affecting you, or the
  state of your here-and-now feelings and
  perceptions.
• Can also be a reaction by others their
  perceptions or feelings as to how your behaviour
  is affecting them.

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Criteria for Effective Feedback

• Enhances learning
• Increases motivation
• Enhances self-esteem
• Deepens relationship

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Feedback Statements

• Descriptive you are frowning and your hands are
  clenched in a fist.
• Interpretive You are angry with me.
• Evaluative you shouldnt be so angry

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Feedback Exercise

•  You did not make it clear 

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Feedback Exercise

• You sure were a loudmouth in that meeting today

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Feedback Exercise

• Your presentation was rather disorganised

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Feedback Exercise

• Your eye contact was poor

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Feedback Exercise

• You spoke far too fast

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Feedback Exercise

• I think you could have given the students a
  break. They probably find you inconsiderate

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Feedback Exercise

• In looking over this test, what items do you have
  uncertainties about?

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Feedback Exercise

• I was really hurt yesterday when you ignored me.

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Feedback Exercise

• Students in other classes have seen me as a good
  teacher

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Feedback Exercise

• What a stupid thing to do. I have never seen such
  a poor performance.

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Feedback Exercise

• Thats a terrible piece of work. You just cant
  write. Im afraid you are doomed in this course!

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Feedback Exercise

• If you had to ask that question, it sure suggests
  that you dont know much. Youve got a long way
  to go in this program

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Feedback Exercise

• I found your paper well structured and organized.
  The presentation and clarity were also excellent.
  The overall grade would have been better if I had
  found references included to the recent work of
  ______ and ____.

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Feedback Exercise

• You are a likeable person.

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Feedback Exercise

• Dont call me  Sonny 

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Feedback Exercise

• Youre pretty touchy today

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Giving and Receiving FeedbackThe Johari Model