Feedbacks made easy: The Seven Step Feedback Model

Dealing with people can sometimes be tiring, especially when the people we work with are difficult. In a workspace, where we have to deal and interact with people, it is necessary that we know how to properly communicate. We don’t want any misunderstandings there, do we?

Effective and proper communication is crucial if you are leading a team or part of one. You can do both without coming out as rude or inconsiderate. This is where the Seven-Step Feedback Model comes in. In a workspace, where we work with varieties of people, it is unavoidable that there are certain people, who just don’t know when to stop, or how to react. We don’t want to be too direct and confront them, but we also want them to improve, and make the situation better for themselves and the team..

To deal with people like these and not come out as an asshole, we have the seven-step feedback model. Let’s understand this model through some examples we can all relate to.

Scenario 1

There is a team meeting going on about how we want the team to move forward with a certain client requirement. There is one person, who keeps interrupting other team members and only puts his opinions. As a project manager, what you do is, after the meeting is over, you call aside from the team member and have the following conversation:

“ During the team meeting, when you interrupt other team members, I feel like it demotivates them to put forward their thoughts because only your ideas are being heard… What I would like is for you to wait and listen to others’ ideas as well and add to them, so that every member’s opinions are considered. Do you think we can do it? ”

Scenario 2

During client calls, there is a team member who is constantly on his phone, not paying attention to what the client is saying. Later on, when the tasks are assigned, he asks why those changes are being made which was discussed in the meetings earlier. Using the model, we can have this conversation with the team member:

“ When you are constantly using the phone during our calls, I feel like you miss out on the details of what we discussed with the clients because you are not able to focus on the meeting… What I would like is for you to put your cell phone aside during the calls because it would help you concentrate on the call and understand the tasks that will be assigned later. What do you think about that? ”

Hence, according to the seven-step feedback model when dealing with people we can forward the conversation in the following way:

1. When you…
   Explain the issue briefly, whether it’s something your colleague has done or said.
2. I feel…
   Make it personal! Speak as a friend, not a manager. Explain what issue/s will arise or has arrived from their action/s. You describe the impact of this on your team and the project.
3. Because…
   Here you describe the impact of his/her action on themselves. Explain the impact in detail.
4. Pause for a response.
5. What I would like is…
   What they could do better so that the impact can be decreased.
6. Because…
   Explain how they can create a positive impact on the team.
7. What do you think about that?
   Let them agree or disagree.

This model has helped me deal with people and also go through effective communication with the team members. Use these steps and find out if you can sort out the differences with your team members.