How to Get Feedback in Meetings

Last week I introduced the concept of rounds as a useful technique to kick off workplace meetings.

Rounds are a simple way to guarantee that everyone in the room gets heard. This can be particularly useful when soliciting feedback on an idea, project, or proposal.

For the last five years, I’ve helped lead the Disney Triathlon Team. Two years ago, we instituted monthly leadership team meetings.

These meetings were semi-productive at best, frustrating and chaotic at worst.

An important topic for these meetings (and frankly, the most fun for many), is helping to steer the direction of designs for our marketing materials and jersey.

Last year, when our design lead brought in several designs to share with us, the resulting conversation was a free-for-all, chaotic mess. Ideas leapt around from no logical point of view. We backtracked. People spoke over each other. It was a stressful meeting to lead; I can’t imagine how our designer felt.

This year, we decided something had to change.

Last week, during our second meeting of the year, we started with a check-in round, followed by another use of rounds later in the evening.

The second use of rounds was used during feedback for our recruitment campaign posters. All ten of us went around the room, one at a time, and provided our feedback. Interruptions were not allowed. The whole thing took less than 5 minutes. Everyone simply said what he or she needed to say, and moved on. Fin.

Our designer left with clear, actionable feedback.

And it was the best, most productive meeting we’ve had. Period.

The next time you’re asking a group to provide feedback, consider trying rounds.