Customer Reviews

Constructive Feedback (Management Shapers)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

70 pages about using constructive feedback to enhance performance and relationships. Written for managers, but general enough for any readers wanting to learn the basics of giving and receiving feedback. The book does achieve what it sets out to: helping you identify when to give feedback, how best to give it and how to receive and use feedback yourself.

THE HEART OF THE BOOK The authors describe Chapter 3 ''The ten tools of constructive feedback'' as ''the heart of the book''. So what's at it's heart? The 10 tools are: Analyse the Current Situation; Decide on your Outcomes and Objectives; Calibrate for Receptiveness (i.e. anticipate reactions); Create the Right Environment; Communicate Effectively; Describe the Behaviour you Wish to Change; Describe the Behaviour you Want; Seek Solutions Together; Focus on What is Good; Getting Agreement. This is all good, sound advice, but why refer to this advice as ''tools''? The word ''tools'' suggested to me that I would find 10 separate feedback techniques rather than finding 10 general principles about feedback that apply to most situations.

THE BEST BIT I found the most interesting and useful section to be the last 10 pages on receiving feedback i.e. how to get feedback that is useful to you - including advice about getting feedback about how to give feedback!

CONSTRUCTIVE? If you don't have a book about feedback on your shelves, this is a good place to start. But don't buy this book expecting to learn about a different kind of feedback called ''constructive feedback''. ''Constructive'', as used in this book, simply means effective. There is no other kind of feedback you would ever want to give.

Good practical advice and worth buying. The key is sticking to the facts to take the emotion out of the situation and the book gives good examples.