How can you customize feedback for team members?

Getting each team member's vibe right makes feedback meaningful and growth-focused. Trust is key. If there's no trust, even good advice might backfire. Build trust by showing real interest in their growth, being supportive, and always communicating openly. Trust means they'll take feedback, good or bad, more openly. Context matters in feedback. Consider timing, setting, and their current workload. Right context equals more effective feedback. Promote a give-and-take feedback culture. Encourage them to share their thoughts too, helping you customize your approach. Remember, feedback isn't a one-time deal. It's an ongoing process. Keep tweaking how you give feedback based on past interactions to keep it relevant and helpful.

Prepare for the content the same way we would when pitching to our customers. In the end, both presentations have the same purpose, to convey the message correctly so that the follow-up actions are taken in the right direction. So we should spend some time in understanding and researching how exactly the key message(in this case, the most critical feedback) would be best absorbed by the team. Some teams appreciate direct feedback, others need some toning down with examples/anecdotes, few others don't want feedback in a group, but prefer 1-1 calls. How we structure the overall message, and then break it down into smaller items depends a lot on the kind of people we have, the kind of culture we've set in the team etc

At the beginning of a project ask your team members what skills they aim to develop or leverage in the projects you're working on together. This can help you take notes throughout the project and enable you to assess if or how well they demonstrated their desired growth. You can also use it as a tool to help you know which tasks to delegate to them and to hold them accountable for improvements in areas you know they already have the motivation to change in. Be prepared to share your own as well to encourage a culture where feedback goes in all directions.

Creating a safe space for open and honest dialogue allows you to get to know your team members better. And the best way I’ve seen this work across varying product team sizes, is when leadership models the behavior of receiving feedback as a healthy way to grow. And - just ask! Many people will communicate their feedback styles if you ask what their preferences are.

In my experience, acknowledging someone's strengths reinforces positive behaviors and achievements, while addressing weaknesses tactfully helps in guiding improvements. Understanding personal motivations & challenges enables you to frame feedback in a way that aligns with their aspirations & helps overcome obstacles.

When providing feedback to your direct reports, setting clear expectations is essential. Discuss the feedback format during your first one-on-one meeting and establish a preferred process. You can have a high-level conversation about growth objectives and schedule a specific meeting within the next few weeks to agree on frequency and communication preferences. For team members who aren't reporting to you, consider creating a page that outlines how you prefer to collaborate as well as receive and provide feedback. This will help ensure everyone is on the same page and that communication flows smoothly.

Selecting the appropriate format is crucial when creating feedback. Whether it's a one-on-one conversation, written document, or a team meeting, choosing the right format depends on the nature of the feedback, the preferences of the team member, and the desired outcomes. The format should facilitate clear communication, encourage open dialogue, and align with the specific goals of the feedback session. Whether it's a casual conversation for ongoing coaching or a formal performance review, the chosen format plays a significant role in ensuring that feedback is well-received, understood, and actionable.

It is helpful to study Professor Demming's work on quality improvement often developed through weekly one hour staff meetings where people are encouraged to say whatever they want about their jobs and the company. Dr Demming ideas were first adopted by the japanese: Feedback was not a one time interchange between two people but rather should be done weekly in groups of 10-20 people who were ecouraged to say what they thought about their jobs and the company without fear of retribution. The group feedback sessions were called Kaizen and became synonomous with Demming's fundemental idea that quality is based on the acceptance of continual improvement. Today Demming's ideas are accepted by all the USA and Japanese Car manufacturers.

Feedback Format walks hand to hand with the type of feedback but also with the person that will receive it. Every individual is unique and so it is the feedback that will be given. The format will very much depend on how the person better receive and understand the message too. As we all know each of us have a preferred way to learn and to absorb a message and a feedback is message in way. Be aware and adapt the feedback format to the receiver it will mean a lot and will say you have empathy too

It is always a good idea to have a format that maps the organizational goals and impact with the individual growth. Now marking each individual with respective parameters helps to give a constructive feedback which is more consumable and actionable. The medium in which we are delivering the feedback also makes a difference which depends on the relationship between manager and the team member and also the perceiving ability of the team member.

Using the appropriate tone is always important, not only when giving or receiving feedback at a specific point in time. One's tone in daily interactions plays a pivotal role in how effective working relationships are.

Besides using a respectful and constructive tone, customize your feedback for each team member. Understand their preferences and cultures — some might like direct feedback, others might prefer a gentler approach.

Adopting the right tone is essential when providing feedback to team members. The tone should be constructive, supportive, and tailored to the individual's communication style. Striking a balance between being encouraging and offering constructive criticism helps create a positive feedback environment. Being mindful of the impact of words and tone can enhance the receptiveness of team members, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and open communication.

An unforgettable lesson, which I was lucky enough to have in my first years of career: Negative feedback is given in private. Positive feedback is given in public.

A Harvard framework for giving feedback is called the S-B-I model. S: Situation the person was in B: Behaviour exhibited I: Impact created This kind of feedback is specific and easier to comprehend for the listener. It is quintessential to follow it up with a simple and relevant solution so your team member can act better the next time around. Example: Addressing delayed project updates, the manager, using SBI feedback, highlights the impact on team workflow. Suggests collaboratively improving time management through clearer priorities, realistic deadlines, and task breakdowns for enhanced efficiency.

In my experience, keeping a running list of achievements and things your direct reports can improve on between check-ins can help them immensely. Of course this is only possible if you have manageable number of direct reports and/or mentees. I usually use the below formats for providing actionable feedback - For achievements - <the achievement> + <why it was important> For improvement - <what to improve> + <how> + <why to improve on this> In both cases, the why is critical for the feedback receiver to fully understand and take action

Offering specific examples in your feedback provides clarity and helps team members understand precisely what behaviors or actions are being addressed. Specific examples make feedback more tangible, allowing individuals to identify areas for improvement and take targeted actions. Whether highlighting successes or suggesting improvements, concrete examples provide context and enhance the effectiveness of your feedback, contributing to a more actionable and impactful communication process.

Focusing on the future in your feedback encourages a forward-looking perspective. Instead of dwelling solely on past mistakes or shortcomings, emphasize opportunities for growth and improvement. By framing feedback in a constructive and future-oriented manner, you inspire motivation and a commitment to positive change. Encourage team members to leverage feedback as a tool for continuous learning and development, fostering a culture of improvement and progress within the team or organization.

Creating a two-way street for feedback is essential. At Google, I encouraged team members to provide feedback on my leadership and management style. This practice not only demonstrated my openness to improvement but also provided valuable insights that helped me become a better leader.

Asking for feedback on your own work can initially be uncomfortable, but I have done it a few times myself and also recommended it to others. This is especially important in situations where you're not sure if people are satisfied with your work. This often happens with people experiencing imposter syndrome, who think they are not doing good enough work and that others are not satisfied with them. Asking for feedback is completely okay and should be done boldly when needed.

Based on the Scrum framework, demo and retro session help us to check transparency, deviation, percentage of progress and more. These events include: Demo session or sprint review: In this session, the items that are complete according to the definition are given a demo to the customers and feedback is received. Retrospective meeting: In this meeting we review the past sprint and try to find the obstacles and find solutions for them.

Feedback is an important step to close the loop around product lifecycle. The feedback can be throughout the product management framework be it in strategic assessment or conceptualisation or development/ launch/ lifecycle or phaseout.

I've been into hour-long feedback sessions that ended in total failure, just because the feedback providers were not there willingly, but just out of obligation. It's vital to ask for performance feedback in a manner that permits the other person to decline. Observing someone's performance and offering constructive criticism might not always be easy. Recognizing their potential time constraints or hesitations due to relationship dynamics is important. By allowing them to say no, you maintain respect for their boundaries and increase the likelihood of receiving genuine feedback.

Also, think about where your team members come from because different cultures handle feedback differently. Being aware of this helps you avoid mix-ups and shows you respect where they’re coming from. This makes everyone feel more comfortable and helps the team work better together.

Customizing feedback for your team members is crucial for ensuring its effectiveness and impact. Here are some key steps you can take: 1. Assess your team members: * Understand their individual strengths and weaknesses: Pay attention to their skills, working styles, and areas for improvement. This helps tailor your feedback to their specific needs. * Consider their learning preferences: Some individuals prefer direct and concise feedback, while others respond better to gentle guidance and open discussion. Knowing their preferences can help you deliver the information in a way they'll be most receptive to.

Customizing feedback for ML and DS teams in big tech involves: Technical Precision: For Google's ML team, precise feedback could focus on algorithm efficiency, like optimizing TensorFlow models, acknowledging specific improvements. Communication Style: Tailor feedback for Amazon's DS team, considering individual preferences—some may prefer written analysis, while others benefit from in-person discussions on SageMaker features. Impact Recognition: At Microsoft's Azure ML, highlight the impact of a data scientist's work on product enhancements, emphasizing the positive outcomes their contributions have on user experience.

"Respect" - This includes how you listen and react when you talk to you team members. No matter the age or experience, it is important you respect everyone in the team. "Body language" - Your body language should not be dismissive of the ideas of your team members . They should not feel that you don't value their opinion.

Customer feedback is not always clear for all team members, that is a fact of life. What is needed to considere, is to do a translation to internal or individual language, set metrics and dates and do follow up from there. If we do not do "translation", we are opening doors to confusion and delivery miss alignement.