Lead Dev 2016 London: How to Make a Sandwich

• Dan North @tastapod
• slides: https://speakerdeck.com/tastapod/how-to-make-a-sandwich

A talk about feedback.

1. What is feedback ?

Formalised in Systems Theory. Feedback makes the difference between a simple system (input/output) and an dynamic system (with a feedback loop with a delay).

An adaptive system rely on feedback

Types of feedback:

• reinforcing feeback:
  • accelerating loop: amplifies behaviour (ex financial aid, addiction). “shiften the burden”
  • diminushing loop: suppresses behaviour (ex resource starvation). “tragedy of the commons”
• stabilizing feedback: balancing loop. Tends towards stable goal. (ex cooperation) “limits to growth”
• oscillating feedback: trashing loop (ex shower control, the beer game). “boom and burst”. it needs a delay to settle

Timing is everything

• small, frequent better than large and infrequent
• delay increases “drift”:
  • reduces system responsiveness
  • limits options
  • increase processing effort

This is why “lean operation” prefer small batch size

Why do we need feedback ?

Positive reasons:

• to improve, modify behaviour
• for help

Negative reasons:

• for recognition, validation

Why do we offer feedback ?

Positive reasons:

• improve the system of work
• model a culture of encouraging feedback

Negative reasons:

• to control others
• to demonstrate our superior knowledge

-> Question why do you offer feedback

Feedback is a system

There is no point in hearing feedback if there is no action.

Cycle of feedback:

• offered or sought
• heard
• actionned

2. delivering feedback

It is a learnable skill.

• it should be about behaviour, not about you.
• SBI model (Situation Behaviour Impact)
  • Situation: don’t go on a personal level. Use only specificts (“in that situation, …”)
  • Behaviour: avoid judging words. “what did you do ?”
  • Impact: impact on me. “I felt like…”"

also see: the ladder of inference (use different filters when talking to different people on an inconcient level)

3. Structure your feedback

Build trust.

• porpoise feedback (rewards)
  • example: training dolphins for doing tricks
  • it is just kindness
  • offer positive specific regard
  • (assume that) everything else will self connect
  • the best way to interract with a new group
• sandwich feedback
  • offer positive specific regard (“I noticed that…”)
  • offer a growing edge
  • end up with general positive regard (establishes safety)
• “atkins” feedback: once you have established trust
  • offer a growing edge

4. Receiving feedback

• Say “thank you”. There is no step 2.
• think about what was positive in that feedback
• reverse engineer the SBI

5. Conclusion

• feedback affects the system
• be honest about your own motives
• pratice giving/recieving feedback
• always say “thank you”