feedback Friday I’m gonna talk about feedback let’s first take a look at what
feedback let’s first take a look at what
feedback let’s first take a look at what this title does to you maybe if you’re
this title does to you maybe if you’re
this title does to you maybe if you’re thinking about Friday all of you are
thinking about Friday all of you are
thinking about Friday all of you are gonna go yeah it’s gonna be the weekend
gonna go yeah it’s gonna be the weekend
gonna go yeah it’s gonna be the weekend soon it’s thank God it’s Friday
soon it’s thank God it’s Friday
soon it’s thank God it’s Friday or a casual Friday we all have positive
or a casual Friday we all have positive
or a casual Friday we all have positive emotions associated with Friday whereas
emotions associated with Friday whereas
emotions associated with Friday whereas if we go to the words feedback let’s do
if we go to the words feedback let’s do
if we go to the words feedback let’s do a quick show of hand who he in here
a quick show of hand who he in here
a quick show of hand who he in here really really enjoys giving feedback and
really really enjoys giving feedback and
really really enjoys giving feedback and loves giving feedback to other people
loves giving feedback to other people
loves giving feedback to other people yeah we have a few courageous hands here
yeah we have a few courageous hands here
yeah we have a few courageous hands here but not very many people said yes this
but not very many people said yes this
but not very many people said yes this is what I love to do and in a lot of
is what I love to do and in a lot of
is what I love to do and in a lot of cases when you talk to people and ask
cases when you talk to people and ask
cases when you talk to people and ask them why don’t you like giving feedback
them why don’t you like giving feedback
them why don’t you like giving feedback they’re saying well I don’t really want
they’re saying well I don’t really want
they’re saying well I don’t really want to hurt the other person I don’t want to
to hurt the other person I don’t want to
to hurt the other person I don’t want to insult their feelings I might say
insult their feelings I might say
insult their feelings I might say something that hurts them but if you
something that hurts them but if you
something that hurts them but if you think about why feedback is essential so
think about why feedback is essential so
think about why feedback is essential so let’s say I do my job I work in
let’s say I do my job I work in
let’s say I do my job I work in marketing and I do the same thing over
marketing and I do the same thing over
marketing and I do the same thing over and over and over again nobody will ever
and over and over again nobody will ever
and over and over again nobody will ever tell me to do something different nobody
tell me to do something different nobody
tell me to do something different nobody will ever tell me what I’m doing well
will ever tell me what I’m doing well
will ever tell me what I’m doing well what I’m doing wrong nothing I will not
what I’m doing wrong nothing I will not
what I’m doing wrong nothing I will not ever be able to grow
ever be able to grow
ever be able to grow I will stay the way I am maybe I’ll
I will stay the way I am maybe I’ll
I will stay the way I am maybe I’ll notice at some point that some things
notice at some point that some things
notice at some point that some things could be better but it will be minimal
could be better but it will be minimal
could be better but it will be minimal change so what you’re actually doing is
change so what you’re actually doing is
change so what you’re actually doing is you’re hurting the person you’re not
you’re hurting the person you’re not
you’re hurting the person you’re not giving feedback to by not giving them
giving feedback to by not giving them
giving feedback to by not giving them feedback and not allowing them to grow
feedback and not allowing them to grow
feedback and not allowing them to grow so you’re actually doing something much
so you’re actually doing something much
so you’re actually doing something much much worse than maybe hurting their
much worse than maybe hurting their
much worse than maybe hurting their feelings in a little moment where you’re
feelings in a little moment where you’re
feelings in a little moment where you’re telling them something that they can
telling them something that they can
telling them something that they can improve on and you’re not alone all of
improve on and you’re not alone all of
improve on and you’re not alone all of the people in my organization when I
the people in my organization when I
the people in my organization when I started working there
started working there
started working there although feedback was something that
although feedback was something that
although feedback was something that they knew was important it was mainly
they knew was important it was mainly
they knew was important it was mainly given an annual performance reviews so
given an annual performance reviews so
given an annual performance reviews so this yearly talk that where you sit with
this yearly talk that where you sit with
this yearly talk that where you sit with your boss and you go through all the
your boss and you go through all the
your boss and you go through all the things that went well or didn’t go well
things that went well or didn’t go well
things that went well or didn’t go well and apart from that well we do have a
and apart from that well we do have a
and apart from that well we do have a very open communication culture it still
very open communication culture it still
very open communication culture it still wasn’t very common to give feedback to
wasn’t very common to give feedback to
wasn’t very common to give feedback to colleagues to bosses to
colleagues to bosses to
colleagues to bosses to everyone all year long and we realized
everyone all year long and we realized
everyone all year long and we realized this in a workshop and realized that if
this in a workshop and realized that if
this in a workshop and realized that if we want to improve and we want to really
we want to improve and we want to really
we want to improve and we want to really get better and better serve our
get better and better serve our
get better and better serve our customers we need to make feedback a
customers we need to make feedback a
customers we need to make feedback a regular thing so I went out of this
regular thing so I went out of this
regular thing so I went out of this workshop with the tasks a daunting task
workshop with the tasks a daunting task
workshop with the tasks a daunting task it’s now your task to have us as a whole
it’s now your task to have us as a whole
it’s now your task to have us as a whole department and remind us regularly about
department and remind us regularly about
department and remind us regularly about why we should give feedback and you will
why we should give feedback and you will
why we should give feedback and you will manage to change this and you go out
manage to change this and you go out
manage to change this and you go out they don’t think oh god what am I gonna
they don’t think oh god what am I gonna
they don’t think oh god what am I gonna do I can’t magically change something
do I can’t magically change something
do I can’t magically change something overnight I tried a few crazy ideas so
overnight I tried a few crazy ideas so
overnight I tried a few crazy ideas so for those of you living in Germany for a
for those of you living in Germany for a
for those of you living in Germany for a while you probably know the thing at
while you probably know the thing at
while you probably know the thing at called advanced calendar we get
called advanced calendar we get
called advanced calendar we get chocolate every day before Christmas and
chocolate every day before Christmas and
chocolate every day before Christmas and I had kind of exchanged feedback for
I had kind of exchanged feedback for
I had kind of exchanged feedback for chocolate sing which works really well
chocolate sing which works really well
chocolate sing which works really well everyone loves chocolate but it’s not
everyone loves chocolate but it’s not
everyone loves chocolate but it’s not really something that’s sustainable
really something that’s sustainable
really something that’s sustainable I can’t feed people chocolate all year I
I can’t feed people chocolate all year I
I can’t feed people chocolate all year I can’t do that to all my 30 60 100
can’t do that to all my 30 60 100
can’t do that to all my 30 60 100 colleagues so I needed something that
colleagues so I needed something that
colleagues so I needed something that was a little more scalable I needed
was a little more scalable I needed
was a little more scalable I needed something that would also work worldwide
something that would also work worldwide
something that would also work worldwide with all of our colleagues and I needed
with all of our colleagues and I needed
with all of our colleagues and I needed something that was a little healthier I
something that was a little healthier I
something that was a little healthier I didn’t want to make everyone fat so
didn’t want to make everyone fat so
didn’t want to make everyone fat so essentially what I came up with was
essentially what I came up with was
essentially what I came up with was something that I called feedback Friday
something that I called feedback Friday
something that I called feedback Friday which is the weekly email that I sent
which is the weekly email that I sent
which is the weekly email that I sent out to all the colleagues in my
out to all the colleagues in my
out to all the colleagues in my department which is around a hundred
department which is around a hundred
department which is around a hundred people and in that email what I do is I
people and in that email what I do is I
people and in that email what I do is I highlight something that I’ve observed
highlight something that I’ve observed
highlight something that I’ve observed through the week or some situation that
through the week or some situation that
through the week or some situation that I know about I then give them a task so
I know about I then give them a task so
I know about I then give them a task so this would look something like I’ve
this would look something like I’ve
this would look something like I’ve observed that in this meeting with our
observed that in this meeting with our
observed that in this meeting with our regional colleagues we are not really
regional colleagues we are not really
regional colleagues we are not really doing well because we never say what we
doing well because we never say what we
doing well because we never say what we really mean to say so for this week
really mean to say so for this week
really mean to say so for this week please pick one colleague in a different
please pick one colleague in a different
please pick one colleague in a different location and give them feedback on how
location and give them feedback on how
location and give them feedback on how you think we could improve in our
you think we could improve in our
you think we could improve in our interaction and then I would usually
interaction and then I would usually
interaction and then I would usually give link to a topic so for example
give link to a topic so for example
give link to a topic so for example intercut how is feedback handled in
intercut how is feedback handled in
intercut how is feedback handled in different cultures or how can feedback
different cultures or how can feedback
different cultures or how can feedback me down over the phone and essentially
me down over the phone and essentially
me down over the phone and essentially also because I thought other topics
also because I thought other topics
also because I thought other topics would be interesting
would be interesting
would be interesting than just feedback itself I also
than just feedback itself I also
than just feedback itself I also highlighted communication topics and
highlighted communication topics and
highlighted communication topics and things like that and I remember the
things like that and I remember the
things like that and I remember the first time that I sent out the email and
first time that I sent out the email and
first time that I sent out the email and you can imagine kind of I work at a
you can imagine kind of I work at a
you can imagine kind of I work at a technology company you have the average
technology company you have the average
technology company you have the average engineer sitting there thinking about
engineer sitting there thinking about
engineer sitting there thinking about how to design this high-tech product
how to design this high-tech product
how to design this high-tech product into a customer application thinking
into a customer application thinking
into a customer application thinking about electric circuits and not really
about electric circuits and not really
about electric circuits and not really about something else
about something else
about something else and now this engineer gets an email
and now this engineer gets an email
and now this engineer gets an email every week reminding him about why it’s
every week reminding him about why it’s
every week reminding him about why it’s important to get feedback or how to
important to get feedback or how to
important to get feedback or how to improve communication culture or how the
improve communication culture or how the
improve communication culture or how the brain works or why to do yoga at your
brain works or why to do yoga at your
brain works or why to do yoga at your desk let’s just say the reactions were
desk let’s just say the reactions were
desk let’s just say the reactions were mixed so the first time I send out the
mixed so the first time I send out the
mixed so the first time I send out the email
email there was a colleague sitting right next
there was a colleague sitting right next
there was a colleague sitting right next to me and I remember distinctly I send
to me and I remember distinctly I send
to me and I remember distinctly I send out the email and two minutes later he
out the email and two minutes later he
out the email and two minutes later he stands up and she says Johanna seriously
stands up and she says Johanna seriously
stands up and she says Johanna seriously this email that’s stupid I’m not gonna
this email that’s stupid I’m not gonna
this email that’s stupid I’m not gonna have extra time to do this and I don’t
have extra time to do this and I don’t
have extra time to do this and I don’t want to really give feedback to the
want to really give feedback to the
want to really give feedback to the colleagues it’s not gonna work out
colleagues it’s not gonna work out
colleagues it’s not gonna work out anyways you should just not do that yeah
anyways you should just not do that yeah
anyways you should just not do that yeah that’s a nice feedback to give or to get
that’s a nice feedback to give or to get
that’s a nice feedback to give or to get and I hadn’t really talked to my boss
and I hadn’t really talked to my boss
and I hadn’t really talked to my boss about sending an email to the entire
about sending an email to the entire
about sending an email to the entire department so um I figured okay this if
department so um I figured okay this if
department so um I figured okay this if everyone reacts like that that is going
everyone reacts like that that is going
everyone reacts like that that is going to be interesting and I still progressed
to be interesting and I still progressed
to be interesting and I still progressed and over the next few months I learned
and over the next few months I learned
and over the next few months I learned that some people never read the email at
that some people never read the email at
that some people never read the email at all others figured I don’t have time to
all others figured I don’t have time to
all others figured I don’t have time to do the exercise I’m just gonna skip it
do the exercise I’m just gonna skip it
do the exercise I’m just gonna skip it so there were parts that were really
so there were parts that were really
so there were parts that were really really frustrating nevertheless there
really frustrating nevertheless there
really frustrating nevertheless there were parts that we’re really positive so
were parts that we’re really positive so
were parts that we’re really positive so some people and this was really
some people and this was really
some people and this was really interesting depending on which topic I
interesting depending on which topic I
interesting depending on which topic I picked it went into a completely
picked it went into a completely
picked it went into a completely different direction and different people
different direction and different people
different direction and different people would respond to it so for some topic I
would respond to it so for some topic I
would respond to it so for some topic I would get all of our development guys to
would get all of our development guys to
would get all of our development guys to come back to me and say oh this is
come back to me and say oh this is
come back to me and say oh this is really interesting some topic was maybe
really interesting some topic was maybe
really interesting some topic was maybe more interesting for extroverted people
more interesting for extroverted people
more interesting for extroverted people who tend to be a lot in marketing and
who tend to be a lot in marketing and
who tend to be a lot in marketing and things like that so it was really
things like that so it was really
things like that so it was really interesting to see which topic triggered
interesting to see which topic triggered
interesting to see which topic triggered which personality nevertheless I soon
which personality nevertheless I soon
which personality nevertheless I soon realized it was
realized it was
realized it was something I was going to have to work on
something I was going to have to work on
something I was going to have to work on for a really long time because if I only
for a really long time because if I only
for a really long time because if I only reached a few people every now and then
reached a few people every now and then
reached a few people every now and then and not everyone in the department it’s
and not everyone in the department it’s
and not everyone in the department it’s going to take a while for change so why
going to take a while for change so why
going to take a while for change so why didn’t I just stop there I could have
didn’t I just stop there I could have
didn’t I just stop there I could have said okay this is too much of an effort
said okay this is too much of an effort
said okay this is too much of an effort I need to research topics every week
I need to research topics every week
I need to research topics every week come up with an email that I write I
come up with an email that I write I
come up with an email that I write I need to convince people I’m getting a
need to convince people I’m getting a
need to convince people I’m getting a lot of negative feedback as well and
lot of negative feedback as well and
lot of negative feedback as well and maybe it’s not worth it for the other
maybe it’s not worth it for the other
maybe it’s not worth it for the other ones so why not just stop well for me I
ones so why not just stop well for me I
ones so why not just stop well for me I decided there’s something really really
decided there’s something really really
decided there’s something really really important that I want to change and
important that I want to change and
important that I want to change and change doesn’t really come easy ever we
change doesn’t really come easy ever we
change doesn’t really come easy ever we all know that change is hard and it
all know that change is hard and it
all know that change is hard and it takes time so there are two learnings
takes time so there are two learnings
takes time so there are two learnings that I want you to take away and apply
that I want you to take away and apply
that I want you to take away and apply to anything you want them to apply them
to anything you want them to apply them
to anything you want them to apply them to any thing that you have in mind that
to any thing that you have in mind that
to any thing that you have in mind that you want changed anything that is your
you want changed anything that is your
you want changed anything that is your passion that you want to work on first
passion that you want to work on first
passion that you want to work on first of all don’t ever be afraid don’t let
of all don’t ever be afraid don’t let
of all don’t ever be afraid don’t let some guy with a negative feedback stop
some guy with a negative feedback stop
some guy with a negative feedback stop you from getting a message out that you
you from getting a message out that you
you from getting a message out that you think is important don’t let them stop
think is important don’t let them stop
think is important don’t let them stop you from changing something don’t be
you from changing something don’t be
you from changing something don’t be afraid don’t let fear or rule anything
afraid don’t let fear or rule anything
afraid don’t let fear or rule anything because yes you will have negative
because yes you will have negative
because yes you will have negative feedback but it will always be
feedback but it will always be
feedback but it will always be outweighed by the few positive responses
outweighed by the few positive responses
outweighed by the few positive responses that you get and the impact that you
that you get and the impact that you
that you get and the impact that you make on those people and that impact by
make on those people and that impact by
make on those people and that impact by the way also multiplies so don’t be
the way also multiplies so don’t be
the way also multiplies so don’t be afraid and second of all be persistent
afraid and second of all be persistent
afraid and second of all be persistent when I first started this it was two
when I first started this it was two
when I first started this it was two years almost two years ago and I thought
years almost two years ago and I thought
years almost two years ago and I thought oh god well I’ll try this out for a
oh god well I’ll try this out for a
oh god well I’ll try this out for a little bit but then I realized what
little bit but then I realized what
little bit but then I realized what often times what we have in mind is
often times what we have in mind is
often times what we have in mind is change that comes overnight we think we
change that comes overnight we think we
change that comes overnight we think we just need to snap and there’s a change
just need to snap and there’s a change
just need to snap and there’s a change we’re not an earthquake and we don’t
we’re not an earthquake and we don’t
we’re not an earthquake and we don’t want to be we don’t want to destroy
want to be we don’t want to destroy
want to be we don’t want to destroy things while changing them what we want
things while changing them what we want
things while changing them what we want to be and I like to think of that think
to be and I like to think of that think
to be and I like to think of that think of a river a river is not going to
of a river a river is not going to
of a river a river is not going to change its riverbed overnight but rather
change its riverbed overnight but rather
change its riverbed overnight but rather it will flow through the riverbed and
it will flow through the riverbed and
it will flow through the riverbed and over time it will carve out pieces of
over time it will carve out pieces of
over time it will carve out pieces of the rock and I will change the riverbed
the rock and I will change the riverbed
the rock and I will change the riverbed in its way
in its way
in its way so whatever you do it doesn’t need to be
so whatever you do it doesn’t need to be
so whatever you do it doesn’t need to be big it just needs to be persistent and
big it just needs to be persistent and
big it just needs to be persistent and you need to stick with it every for me
you need to stick with it every for me
you need to stick with it every for me it’s every week every week I send out an
it’s every week every week I send out an
it’s every week every week I send out an email and if I forget it once I go back
email and if I forget it once I go back
email and if I forget it once I go back and send a send out another one and
and send a send out another one and
and send a send out another one and that’s what has made it successful and
that’s what has made it successful and
that’s what has made it successful and by now I can really see the change in
by now I can really see the change in
by now I can really see the change in people I can see that colleagues are now
people I can see that colleagues are now
people I can see that colleagues are now coming back to me and offering feedback
coming back to me and offering feedback
coming back to me and offering feedback I actually had someone coming up to me
I actually had someone coming up to me
I actually had someone coming up to me and said oh I have awesome feedback I
and said oh I have awesome feedback I
and said oh I have awesome feedback I just needed someone in the department to
just needed someone in the department to
just needed someone in the department to share it with and then I was able to
share it with and then I was able to
share it with and then I was able to share that feedback on and feedback
share that feedback on and feedback
share that feedback on and feedback Friday so it all is starting to roll in
Friday so it all is starting to roll in
Friday so it all is starting to roll in and you see individual people in the
and you see individual people in the
and you see individual people in the organization changing so it’s always
organization changing so it’s always
organization changing so it’s always worth it so what I want you to do now
worth it so what I want you to do now
worth it so what I want you to do now and to do today is go out of this
and to do today is go out of this
and to do today is go out of this session and this TED talk let everything
session and this TED talk let everything
session and this TED talk let everything sink in but then pick a topic that you
sink in but then pick a topic that you
sink in but then pick a topic that you think is important don’t maybe
think is important don’t maybe
think is important don’t maybe necessarily pick something that you you
necessarily pick something that you you
necessarily pick something that you you don’t want to rewrite the strategy of a
don’t want to rewrite the strategy of a
don’t want to rewrite the strategy of a large corporation or change an entire
large corporation or change an entire
large corporation or change an entire country but pick something small that
country but pick something small that
country but pick something small that you can start with tomorrow or on the
you can start with tomorrow or on the
you can start with tomorrow or on the weekend and pick that thing don’t be
weekend and pick that thing don’t be
weekend and pick that thing don’t be afraid and stick with it
afraid and stick with it
afraid and stick with it so go out find your feedback Friday and
so go out find your feedback Friday and
so go out find your feedback Friday and change your world
change your world
change your world [Applause]
”
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