Interactive Feedback Sessions

My workshop feedback method has a 100% response rate — and uses zero forms. I ditched post-workshop surveys because… no one filled them out and the ones who did wrote things like “Great workshop 🤗 ” (helpful… ish ⁉️ ). So now I use my four-question, four-colour sticky-note system at the closing of a workshop. It’s fast, visual, and human. It surfaces real language, real commitments, and real insight. Reflection becomes baked into the workshop instead of bolted on. Here’s the magic. I ask everyone to respond to these phrases individually 🟡 “I learned / liked / aha!” - Quick bursts of insight. One idea per sticky. No faffing. 🟢 “I will…” (What ideas do you plan to implement immediately?) - The gold. Actual commitments. I can instantly see what’s going to live beyond the room. 🔴 “I wish…” (What support do you need or what else do you wish we had explored today?) - Constructive, honest improvement ideas and what they need to succeed post-workshop. Better than any anonymous text box. 🔵 One word (What single word best describes your overall reaction to the session?) - These become my word cloud*, and it tells me the emotional temperature in one glance. Then, in small groups, participants choose their top insights, star them, and share them with the room. It turns into this joyful moment where you can see what activities really landed and what learning truly stuck. Impact? • I can literally see what resonated. • The “I will…” notes show behaviour change starting before people even leave the room. • The “I wish…” notes help me evolve each workshop immediately. • And the one-word cloud gives me a pulse check that’s surprisingly accurate. (see word cloud from 10 workshops* - 210 words - in comments) Yes, I still type them all into a spreadsheet by hand (there’s something human and connective about reading people’s handwriting). Then I let AI help me spot themes and patterns. It’s simple. It’s human. It works. And gives clients tangible, meaningful insights... Curious: how do you gather feedback that actually helps you get better? #PlayMore #JudgeLess #feedback #facilitation

We overhauled the way we do feedback, and it’s transformed the company. Here’s how: We are kind of obsessed with feedback at Koru Kids. I think it’s essential to personal development and teamwork. But it took us a few iterations to land on a great system. Initially, we tried written 360 degree feedback. This had 4 problems: 1. People didn’t write that much - you don’t get much detail or many examples 2. And you can’t ask follow up questions when it’s written 3. Negative stuff came across really harsh at times, which was dispiriting 4. Plus there’s just something about writing stuff down that makes people go weirdly formal All in all, it wasn’t the empowering, trust-building experience we wanted it to be. So we tried an experiment, and we’ve never looked back. These days, all our feedback is given ‘live’ in a session held every quarter. - The subject decides who to ask for feedback, and gives them some questions to think about - Then, on the day, the subject sits in a private Zoom with their manager - One by one, each colleague comes in and answers the questions - The manager’s role is to take notes and manage the Zoom waiting room so the subject can concentrate on listening - At the end, the subject and the manager discuss the ‘themes’ that have emerged in the session Doing it like this has solved ALL FOUR of our problems: → It’s easier to speak than write, so people give WAY more detail → We can ask clarifying questions, so we really understand the feedback → People still give ‘constructive’ feedback, but they phrase it gently so it lands far better → The whole interaction feels very real, which builds trust I find new joiners usually dread their first feedback session…. but feel AMAZING afterwards. There’s nothing like knowing that you know exactly what’s on your team’s mind about your work. For a taste of this, check out the message Rebecca shared on our internal Slack. (Shared with permission.) I love creating people systems that make the world happier. Feel free to steal this one! What’s been your experience with feedback? 🔄 Repost to share the idea, and follow Rachel Carrell for more like this

Purpose-driven leaders, your feedback is toxic. You're killing innovation with kindness (yes, really) And here's why: With all your good intentions about "open communication" and "constructive feedback." Here's the uncomfortable truth: Your feedback culture is a carefully constructed illusion. An illusion that's suffocating creativity, stifling honesty, and slowly poisoning trust. Let's rip off the band-aid: #1 Your "open door" is a trap. It screams: "I'm the fixer. You're the problem." Result? Surface-level "issues" that mask deeper innovations. #2 Your "feedback sandwich" is stale. Compliment. Critique. Compliment. Everyone sees through it. They're hungry for real meat. #3 Your "annual reviews" are a funeral. For ideas that died in silence months ago. But there's hope. A way to turn feedback from a weapon into a wonder-tool. Enter: The Feedback Catalyst System Step 1: Reverse the Flow For one month, ban yourself from giving unsolicited feedback. Instead, ask one question daily: "What's one thing we should change?" Watch as buried insights surge to the surface. Step 2: Idea Incubators, Not Meetings Replace status updates with 15-minute "What If" sessions. No judgments. No "buts." Just rapid-fire possibilities. Fuel: "What if we did the exact opposite of our current approach?" Step 3: The Silent Revelation Once a week, gather your team. Present a challenge. Then... do nothing. Silence for 10 full minutes. Let discomfort birth brilliance. (Tip: Bring fidget toys. Trust me.) Step 4: Feedback as Future-Casting Ditch backwards-looking critiques. Instead: "If we succeeded wildly at this, what would it look like?" Paint the vision together. Work backwards to now. Step 5: The Sacred Space of 'I Don't Know' Create a weekly 'Vulnerability Vortex'. Share one thing you're utterly clueless about. Watch as 'I don't know' transforms from shame to superpower. Here's your Paradigm Shift: True feedback isn't about fixing flaws. It's about illuminating blind spots that hide opportunities. It's not a performance review. It's an innovation incubator. Your Challenge: This week, become a Feedback Catalyst. Implement just ONE of these strategies. Then watch as your team transforms from feedback-phobic to future-focused. Remember: In a world drowning in data, The leaders who foster genuine insight will inherit the future. P.S What hidden gem of wisdom is your current 'feedback system' burying? 👇Share your experiences and join the conversation 📌📌Purpose Accelerator: See pinned comment --- Hi! I'm @lauriebanfi 👋 My mission is to help empower and support leaders like you to create a thriving, purpose-driven team culture. Let's connect and make a real difference, one small team at a time.

Most design feedback fails before it begins. "Make the button blue" "I don't like it" "Looks great!" "This feels off" These comments crush morale and create rework. After years of design feedback sessions, I've developed a 3-tier framework that transformed how my teams communicate about design: tier 1: technical feedback Execution quality Visual hierarchy Consistency with systems Accessibility standards Technical feasibility Example: "The contrast ratio here doesn't meet WCAG standards. Here's what would work better" tier 2: strategic feedback Business objectives alignment Problem-solution fit Competitive differentiation Performance metrics impact Resource requirements Example: "This approach might not support our conversion goals. What if we prioritized...?" tier 3: growth feedback Skill development opportunities Process improvements Collaboration patterns Career advancement Individual strengths leverage Example: "Your research synthesis shows depth. Have you considered leading the next sprint?" implementing this framework: label your feedback tier explicitly: "I have some tier 2 feedback about..." require specific examples for each comment vague feedback stays banned, regardless of tier create feedback request templates help teammates ask for the right tier of feedback practice deliberately start meetings by reviewing which tier you need after implementing this approach: design revisions decrease team satisfaction scores increase stakeholder alignment improve dramatically junior designers report feeling safer

Feedback isn’t a formality. It’s a tool. 𝗕𝗨𝗧 only if you know how to use it. I’ve seen too many leaders treat feedback sessions as a box to check, missing valuable opportunities for real insights. Vague questions stall growth, while the right questions demonstrate accountability. Why Vague Questions Fail: - “How am I doing?” leads to surface-level feedback. - Lack of clarity wastes time and stalls progress. 5 Steps to Get Actionable Feedback in 1:1s: 1️⃣ Focus on One Key Area at a Time ↳ Specific focus yields sharper, useful insights. ↳ Prioritize one topic to drive meaningful growth. 2️⃣ Ask for Concrete Examples ↳ Real examples make feedback actionable. ↳ Details pinpoint where adjustments are needed. 3️⃣ Take Notes and Act ↳ Documented feedback shows commitment. ↳ Acting on it builds trust and accountability. 4️⃣ Align Feedback with Team Challenges ↳ Discuss how team dynamics influence results. ↳ Insights expose areas needing immediate action. 5️⃣ Review Strategic Priorities Together ↳ Ensure goals align with company objectives. ↳ Focus on what truly drives impactful decisions. The Key Takeaway: Don’t be defensive - feedback is a tool, not a critique. A manager offering feedback is doing their job. The right questions turn feedback into a powerful leadership advantage. #BuildingLeaders #Manufacturing 👉 What’s a practical question leaders can ask in 1:1s? Tell me below!

In just a few moments you will know the one concept that would help dietetics increase pattern recognition, course correct before problems compound, build real accountability, and create genuine trust between members and leadership. One of the most important things I do as a systems architect is map feedback loops. Before I can design an intervention, program, or strategy, I need to understand how information moves through a system and whether it is capable of learning from itself or simply repeating what it has always done. A feedback loop occurs when something happens at the edges of a system, that information travels back to the center, the center responds, and the system changes in a way that benefits everyone inside it. Without feedback loops a system cannot learn. It can only broadcast. This distinction is arguably one of the most significant structural gaps in how the nutrition and dietetics profession is currently organized. Most professional organizations have two things that look like feedback loops but functionally are not. The first is the broadcast, which includes president's messages, town halls, webinars, and newsletters where information flows in one direction from leadership to members and nothing of substance travels back. The second is the formal governance structure, which includes committees, elected boards, and delegate systems that do matter and serve a purpose but require members to already have access, time, credentials, and connections to participate. Neither of these is designed to capture what the frontline practitioner in a rural clinic or the new grad navigating their first job actually knows and needs. A real feedback loop requires three things that are largely absent from how many professional organizations operate. 1. A visible channel where problems can surface publicly rather than disappearing into a staff inbox through a contact form 2. A response that is equally visible so that when one person's problem gets resolved, the other people who have the exact same problem can benefit from that resolution rather than starting from zero 3. Evidence that the information actually changed something, because without that evidence the loop never closes So what would this look like in practice? To start, open community sessions on a rotating basis, bringing in different leaders, committee chairs, and practice group representatives throughout the year so that anyone can show up, ask real questions, and everyone learns from the conversation in real time. And a publicly accessible forum where problems surface visibly, not locked behind a membership paywall, so that a pre-dietetics student, a new grad, and a 20 year practitioner can all see the same issues, contribute to the same solutions, and watch the system respond. The best part about this system is that the effort is distributed. When the community owns the process the burden stays low and the learning stays high.

I'm sure many of us are familiar with the standard format of large, regular meetings that conclude with an anonymous Q&A session. While these meetings provide an opportunity for employees to anonymously voice concerns or ask questions of their leaders, it is not uncommon for the underlying topic to go unaddressed because the context is often unknown. It was the same for us. So, we wanted to create additional formats that would allow for a different atmosphere and for colleagues to really talk about what was on their minds. We introduced "Ask Me Anything" sessions. They are held virtually to bring together colleagues from around the world. We limit the number of participants to keep the sessions small and personal. One requirement: Everyone is invited to bring at least one specific question they want to ask or topic they want to raise and discuss. That way, we make sure that everyone is prepared to really engage and encourage dialog. And I have to say, it works very well for us. For me personally, the sessions have a very special added value: My colleagues are a sounding board and give me insight into areas for improvement, potential concerns, and creative solutions. Best of all, the sessions also contribute to our OneHR understanding: each session is attended by a diverse mix of representatives from different HR teams. This helps us work against silos and ensures mutual exchange and understanding. What’s one thing you would like to change or improve about your company's communication culture? #Communication #Engagement #Transparency #Culture #Feedback #peoplecreatevalue

Last year, I met a frustrated Partner at a prestigious law firm. Annual performance reviews felt stale. And junior lawyers rarely spoke up. So she tried something different. She started running monthly "open feedback" lunches. The concept was simple: anyone could attend, everyone could speak freely, and no topic was off-limits. At first, attendance was sparse. Just a few brave associates were willing to test the waters. But as word spread, the sessions filled up, and the initiative went “viral” within the firm. - Junior lawyers shared process inefficiencies. - Senior associates highlighted communication gaps. - Support staff brought valuable insights. "It was the first time I felt my voice actually mattered." One Associate admitted. The impact went beyond morale. Teams became more efficient, client work improved, and retention strengthened. This is a great reminder that sometimes, the most powerful innovations aren't technological. They're cultural. And sometimes the simplest question - "What can we do better?" - creates the biggest change. #recrevigroup #legalrecruitment #law #lawyer #lawfirm #culture

Before you walk into that training, teaching or lecture room, read this and your sessions will never be the same: Most people do not realize that teaching without data Is like driving at night without headlights. Have you ever finished a training session and wondered, “Did they really get it?” That’s the difference between guessing — and knowing. In today’s world, data isn’t just for analysts — it’s a facilitator’s best teaching companion. Note the following ways data can completely transform how you teach, train, and inspire: ➡️ Use pre-training surveys and diagnostic quizzes to help you understand participants’ skill levels, expectations, and learning preferences. This will help you turn generic sessions into personalized learning experiences. ➡️ Even if you do not have a learning management system (LMS) to help you measure engagements in real time, you can use other tools like kahoot and mentimeter to know who’s active, who’s struggling, and where learners drop off. With this insight, you can adapt instantly instead of waiting for post-training feedback. ➡️ Evaluate what truly works because attendance numbers don’t tell the whole story. Data from assessments, polls, and reflections reveal which activities drive understanding which would help you refine your methods with confidence. ➡️ Use dashboards that show progress and completion rates to illustrate your progress. ➡️ Cultivate the culture of continuous learning using feedback. This is important because with each session’s feedback data, you don’t just teach better — you evolve. Every course becomes smarter, sharper, and more human-centered. Please remember data doesn’t replace intuition — it amplifies it. Because when we teach with data, we don’t just inform minds — we transform outcomes. How do you currently use data in your teaching or training sessions? #DataAnalytics #TeachingWithData #LearningAndDevelopment #Facilitation #LMS #EducationInnovation

🔍When it comes to live online sessions, interaction ≠ engagement Here's why👇 Interactive platforms like StreamAlive, Butter 🧈, and Zoom have literally transformed the dynamics of online sessions. Can you imagine a live session without a chat feature now? I can't! The problem is that interactive tools alone aren't enough. ⚡️Interaction invites participation Think of interaction as the way participants interface with your session. Polls, chats, and word clouds make it easier for people to contribute ideas and experiences. And that gives you and your group valuable "raw material" to work with. 💡 Engagement makes it meaningful Engagement is about the depth and quality of the experience. How your participants connect with you, the content, and each other. It's what transforms that raw material into lasting insights. Here are a few simple ways you can move from interaction to engagement: 💬Chat Prompts: Instead of just collecting responses, narrate them and invite a few people to share. ☁️Word Clouds: Use them to draw out patterns, and segue into group discussion not just to display words. 👥Breakout Groups: Make time for people to share experiences and takeaways instead of moving quickly onto the next activity. Engagement ensures participants leave with valuable insights and connections that stay with them long after the session ends. Over to you: How do you turn simple interactions into deep engagement in your sessions? Share your strategies below 👇 #onlinefacilitation #engagement #interaction #digitaltools