Sure, but it’s one heck of an uncomfortable gift to give! How can we stop feedback from feeling so uncomfortable?

In the classic film The Princess Bride, the Dread Pirate Roberts “Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.” I think anyone who says they can stop feedback conversations from being uncomfortable must be selling something.

It’s perfectly normal to feel uncomfortable about giving feedback, but we all know the real issues worth talking about don’t go away by themselves. Discomfort is a small price to pay to develop an employee, to build trust, to turn around a difficult relationship, or demonstrate your values.

Own the discomfort.

There are some great conversation frameworks out there with groovy names. The Awareness Wheel. The Experience Cube. Non-Violent Communication. Pick a framework or tool. Practice. Be uncomfortable and do it anyway.

I’m a Lumina Learning Practitioner, so I like the GIFT feedback model because I can align the four GIFT elements with the four Lumina personality archetype preferences. It helps people understand why some steps feel comfortable and others take more work, and why this might be different for different people. Armed with self-awareness and empathy for different communication preferences, you can anticipate, plan and practice giving feedback that lands positively.

Interested in learning more about the GIFT model of communication or Luminapsychometrics?  I look forward to hearing from you.