Talking Feedback with Christy Erbeck Agile Coaches' Corner

In this episode, your host, Dan Neumann, is joined by a colleague at AgileThought, Christy Erbeck! Christy is a Principal Transformation Consultant at AgileThought with over 25 years of experience in domestic and international consulting, training, and coaching, working in both software development and non-product-focused environments, including manufacturing (discrete and process), distribution, and sales and marketing.
 
Today, they’re going to be talking about the topic of feedback. They discuss the importance of giving and receiving feedback, feedback fallacies, how to practice giving better feedback, how people respond to both poorly-constructed and well-constructed feedback, and how to give great feedback through the SBI model.

Feedback is a big part of what Agile coaches are asked to do. Giving and receiving feedback is critically important and takes a tremendous amount of insight and awareness to both give and receive feedback in a positive way. Tune in to hear all of Christy Erbeck’s key takeaways on the topic of feedback!
 
Key Takeaways
What are some feedback fallacies and challenges to giving and receiving feedback?
The three fallacies from “The Feedback Fallacy” article are: the source of truth, how we learn, and excellence
The idiosyncratic rater effect
Humans are unreliable raters of other humans — we don’t have the capacity to do it well and our egos get in the way
Confirmation bias and recall bias can come in to play
Thinking you know better than the person you’re giving feedback to (which is not the objective truth)
When someone perceives feedback as critical (especially from those who are not qualified in the specific area) they go into fight or flight
When stakes are high or a conversation is emotionally-charged, people often unconsciously tell themselves a story that feeds their immediate (often negative) reaction to hearing feedback
How to give and receive great feedback (and why):
Use the SBI Model  (1. Situation, 2. Behavior, 3. Impact)
Through the SBI model, it becomes easier to frame the feedback in a way that is safe to deliver and receive
Using an SBI model can create psychological safety and gives feedback in a way that minimizes the potential that someone may have a flight or fight reaction to it
Don’t refer to yourself as the expert when giving feedback; instead, focus on the impact it had on you
Instead of looking at outputs look at outcomes
Provide high-priority interrupt feedback (which is critical to reinforcing a positive response)
Direct feedback is good, but don’t be tactless (be honest in an empathic way)
Get feedback on your feedback
 
Mentioned in this Episode:
Christy Erbeck
Agile 2018 Conference in San Diego
Radical Candor, by Kim Scott
SBI Model
Harvard Business Review Magazine
“The Feedback Fallacy,” by Marcus Buckingham and Ashley Goodall
Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, by Kerry Patterson,
Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts., by Brené Brown
Brené Brown: The Call to Courage (Film, 2019)
Agile Coaches’ Corner Ep. 22: “The Role of Managers in Agile Organizations with Esther Derby”
Joe Carella from Eckerd College
360 Degree Feedback
 
Christy Erbeck’s Book Pick:
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts., by Brené Brown
 
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