Matt Abrahams: prediction

Transcript context

…Let's talk about another version of on-the-spot talking, which is giving feedback. Oftentimes people listening to this podcast, they're asked, what do you think of this design? What do you think of this roadmap? What do you think of the strategy? What are some tips for getting better at on-the-spot feedback? First and foremost, we need to look at and define feedback. Feedback to me is an opportunity to problem solve. Certainly there are some behaviors that we absolutely have to shut down. It's inappropriate, it's inexcusable, we have to shut it down. But often feedback is really an opportunity to problem solve. And if you take it as an opportunity to problem solve, then what you're looking for is collaboration with the other person, which means that we have to invite them to join us as we do this. So it's not me bestowing upon you my opinion, it's me inviting you to together work on whatever this issue challenge is that we have. And I am a huge disciple of Kim Scott, Radical Candor. I really like her approach to it. Kim's a friend. She's actually a neighbor. Well, she's been on the podcast, by the way. Oh, great. So you know Kim and your listeners know Kim. Yeah, she's great. Where I think I can add a little value to what Kim talks about, and she does talk about structure, but I think having the structure to package up the information to make it easier to digest by your audience, the person or people you're talking to, but also to formulate your thoughts can help. And we've already talked about one mechanism, one structure for feedback. It's what, so what, now what? So imagine, Lenny, you and I come out of a meeting and you say, "Hey, Matt, how'd that go?" I could say, "I thought the meeting went really well, Lenny, except when you talked about the implementation plan. You spoke a little quicker than you did with the other parts and you didn't go into the same level of detail." That's my what. "When you speak quickly without a lot of detail, people might think you're not as prepared or you're really concerned about this part." That's the so what. "Next time I suggest you slow down and you include these two or three bits of data so that people see you really are knowledgeable on this area." So that's the now what. So that what, so what, now what helps me very quickly structure information and package it in a way that helps me as the giver of the feedback, think through what are the things I need to say? I need to think through what's bothering me, what the consequences are of that behavior, and then what I think you should do. There's a more robust structure I talk about in the book called The 4 Is, and each I stands for something starting with the letter I. But four eyes also like glasses. It helps you see more clearly. So in the 4 I structure, the first I is information. You're just setting the playing field so the person knows what you're giving the feedback about. The second is impact, and this is impact on you, the feedback giver. The third is the invitation that you make, and then the final is the implications or consequences. So imagine I have an employee who doesn't show up to the meetings on time and prepared. I might say, "This is the third time that you have showed up late to this meeting. implications or consequences. So imagine I have an employee who doesn't show up to the meetings on time and prepared. I might say, "This is the third time that you have showed up late to this meeting. I feel you're not prioritizing this meeting the same way others of us are. What can we do to help make sure you show up prepared for the next meeting? Because if you do, we're going to finish the project on time and get a new cool project." So information, impact, invitation, and implications. Now, certainly I can vary the tone and the directness of some of those responses so it sounds very differently, but thinking through it in my mind, I have to level set what we're talking about. I have to share why it's important to me at least, make the invitation, and talk about the benefits or consequences. Makes a lot of sense. So there are lots of structures and lots of ways to communicate, especially in feedback. Find one or two that work for you so when you're put on the spot, you can default to it.…

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