Giving Feedback to Directs when other directs are in earshot

Submitted by Michael Hawkins
in
Manager Tools Trinity

Hey all.  I'm all set to start giving more feedback to my directs (a big step all on its own). But....my team members (five of them) sit SO close to each other, if I give feedback at their desks, all the other team members are going to hear me.  I'm not real comfortable with that.  And I can imagine they won't be either.

That's not such a big deal for POSITIVE feedback, but...it ain't all positive folks. ; - )

 

What do you suggest?  As I don't have an office, I really don't want to be running people back and forth to conference rooms everytime I want to share some feedback.

Your help will be appreciated.

 

--michael

a/k/a 'woggo'

 

 

Submitted by Rob Hooft on Wednesday March 4th, 2009 10:57 am

When you start using the feedback model, all feedback is positive. So you can try it without the problem you think you have.
Then: you can keep your voice down.
And finally: even adjusting feedback is no big deal.

Submitted by Asterisk RNTT on Wednesday March 4th, 2009 12:31 pm

Can we be informal and call you Wogs? ;)
Feedback, positive or negative, should only take 30 seconds or so.  It doesn't have to be a serious formal setting.  You can do it while walking down the hall together, getting a drink, pretty much anywhere you can get their undivided attention.  Good luck!
 
*RNTT
 

Submitted by Michael Hawkins on Wednesday March 4th, 2009 2:23 pm

@*RNTT:  Sure...you can call me Wogs.  Or you can call me Michael or Mike or Hawk (HAWKins).  Your choice, dude!
 
Thanks for the tip.  I just have this sinking feeling that negative feedback will be heard by everyone in the quad of cubicles and it won't be well-accepted.
 
But....if I do my O3's correctly (aha!) then everyone should understand what's going on. 
Thanks again,
Wogs