by Caitlin Barthelmes

Evaluating skills and giving feedback can be a tricky thing.  My work at the BNI-ART Institute has taught me three effective ways to provide helpful feedback to new learners.

Engage the Trainee in Self-Assessment

Adult learners are insightful and usually have a sense when something is “working” for them or not.  I find the best way to start a feedback session is asking the trainee how it went before providing my input.  The session becomes a conversation instead of a lecture.

Keep it Positive

While human nature causes us to want to zero in on what went wrong, start the conversation with what went well.  Asking the trainee what they liked about their performance can be a good starting point.  Then you, as the expert, can give some positive feedback about the trainee’s strengths.  If you have the luxury of a third party observer, ask them for positive input too! Starting out on a note of encouragement helps prevent frustration with learning new skills and bolsters self-esteem and interest in trying again.

Give Alternatives

Feedback should be balanced.  We do need to point out areas of improvement for trainees to progress, but a good rule of thumb is that with every constructive criticism, provide the preferred alternative.  For instance, if a trainee had a judgmental tone when speaking with a patient, you could suggest alternative phrases or wording that comes across more compassionate or neutral.

Remember, the point of giving feedback is not only to improve skills but also to inspire a trainee to keep practicing!

Edited by Llaen Coston-Clark