What’s the best way to give effective feedback to colleagues?

One of the most critical elements of a human resource system is the evaluation system for employees. There are many different formats for such a system, but the heart of each is offering feedback on performance.

Effective feedback names the specific situation in which the behavior was observed; names the observable actions or words; and describes the impact that behavior had on the observer.  In addition, effective feedback anchors the feedback in time and place and helps the person receiving the feedback understand the impact.

Participants in Foundations of Christian Leadership practice giving and receiving feedback.

How can I make sure that difficult conversations are productive?

We call them “crucial conversations” — the conversations we avoid but know that we should have. The stakes are high, emotions run strong, and opinions vary. Effective conversations invite both parties into a shared space or “pool of shared meaning,” in order to engage in open and honest dialogue.  In effective crucial conversations, we tell our stories and invite others to do the same.

Because this issue is part of the work of so many Christian leaders, participants in Foundations of Christian Leadership spend time working on this issue.