Time to digest

07 July 2004

Can you dish it out as well as take it - the viewpoint of either party in any personal interaction arising at work? Gill Moore gives tips on listening and responding In a nursery setting there are many instances when staff need to give feedback to each other or to other professionals and parents, but doing this in a constructive manner is not always easy.

In a nursery setting there are many instances when staff need to give feedback to each other or to other professionals and parents, but doing this in a constructive manner is not always easy.

Giving feedback requires good interpersonal skills and emotional sensitivity. Receiving feedback can also be a problem. When it is critical, even if it is meant to be constructive, it is hard for the receiver not to feel discomfort. There are also some people who find it difficult to receive praise.

Techniques and tools can be learned to make the feedback process easier.

The following activities can be followed during professional development sessions in your setting to help staff hone their feedback skills.

Giving feedback

Preparation: Fix two sheets of A3 paper to the wall or divide a white board into two columns headed 'criticism' and 'feedback'.

Start by discussing what feedback is for - that it should be used to improve a situation, rather than criticise someone. Then have a few minutes of brainstorming the difference between criticism and feedback and how each one can make us feel.

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