4 Types of Feedback and When to Use Them
It is a simple analogy but one I find keeps me in check when giving feedback.
Firstly, feedback is either motivational or developmental. The easiest way to differentiate between these are:
- Motivational = what went well
- Developmental = what could be better
Then, feedback is either specific or non-specific which is pretty self explanatory.
A matrix with these two axis offers 4 types of feedback:
Don’t club them to death with feedback
Feedback that is non-specific and developmental can be compared to the suit of Clubs. I remember this one because you may as well be clubbing someone around the head with it.
“That wasn’t good enough…”
“Your attitude needs to improve…”
“It’s just not working…”
None of these offer any information to help someone improve and all of them could be taken personally, because if we’re not given the specifics we will fill them in with, “is it something I did?” or“do they not like me?”.
Clubs should never be used.
Show some love, but not too much
Feedback that is non-specific and motivational is represented by the suit of Hearts.
“Great job!”
“That was amazing”
“You’re a total legend!”
Few people would turn any of these down but, long term, they offer little for that person to build on what they have done and they leave room for misinterpretation.
If this is the only feedback someone gets they can become indifferent to it and potentially fall under the illusion they have nothing to work on — you can then expect them to be asking for a promotion in their next appraisal.
This style of feedback is great for a morale boost but should, as often as possible, be followed up with something more specific.
Be to the point
Feedback that is specific and developmental is compared to the suit of Spades. I remember this one because it is to-the-point and a spade is helpful for digging to the root cause of an issue.
“I noticed X, and I would like to see Y going forward, because of Z”
“When you do X, the impact is Y, so what could be done differently?”
If you have feedback to give someone on something which needs to improve, this kind of feedback is always best. Being specific about what you want to see differently can (1) help someone act on it and (2) avoid it becoming a ‘personal’ matter.
There are plenty of models for giving Spade feedback, one I prefer is E.E.C which I will be writing about soon.
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend
…boys like them, too.
Feedback that is both specific and motivational is represented by the suit of Diamonds. Everyone loves a diamond and they’re super clear.
“What I loved about X, was Y. We could even try adding Z”
“The work you did on X, had Y impact. I’d really like you to have a go at Z”
This feedback is super motivational while at the same time giving people something to look forward to/try differently or guidance on how to replicate that behaviour/skill.
It shows you actually thought about the feedback you’re giving, beyond the stock good-job answers and will have a more lasting effect.
Thank you for reading and hope it gets you thinking about the kind of feedback you dish out!
