THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF GIVING EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK TO COLLEAGUES

1. THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF GIVING EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK TO COLLEAGUES January 24, 2012 Department of Medicine

5. OBJECTIVES • To identify both the opportunities and challenges in giving effective feedback to colleagues • To describe key elements of constructive feedback • To consider the consequences of poor quality or absent feedback

6. CASE VIGNETTE #1 You will be meeting Dr. Enthused, a junior faculty member. He is somewhat apprehensive about this meeting as it will be the first time he is meeting with you to review his performance since he was recruited four years ago. Dr. Enthused spends most of his time doing clinical work and clinical teaching at the hospital. He is not particularly interested in research or other scholarly endeavors. His teaching evaluations are excellent. Dr. Enthused has not volunteered for any committees because he is so busy with his clinical and teaching load. HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH GIVING FEEDBACK TO DR. ENTHUSED?

7. CASE VIGNETTE #2 You will be meeting with Dr. Longtime for her annual performance review. She is a successful clinician-scientist and is responsible for a busy lab. She has won several national research awards. She does some teaching in the Basis of Medicine component of the curriculum, some clinical teaching on the ward (with residents) as well as supervision of graduate students in her research lab. Medical students and residents evaluate her teaching as below average saying that she appears unprepared for her lectures and does little bedside teaching on the ward. HOW WOULD YOU APPROACH GIVING FEEDBACK TO DR. LONGTIME?

9. QUESTIONS • What is the role of feedback in the annual performance review? • What characterizes effective feedback in this context? • How can we improve the giving of feedback to our colleagues?

10. Feedback: Return of a signal through an electronic circuit causing a high-pitched screeching noise

11. FEEDBACK • Communication to another person which gives information about how he/she affects and is perceived by others. • A way of helping another person consider changing his/her behavior.

12. Feedback should be given in a way that the receiver can hear it, understand it, and choose to use or not use it.

13. Part of the learning process Based on learning objectives Appropriate learning environment & opportunities Objective Timely Part of the academic and career developmental process Based on clear expectations Appropriate academic environment and opportunities Objective Timely ARE WE DIFFERENT FROM OUR STUDENTS?Feedback is...

14. Valued by the learner Positive & reinforcing feedback is easy to give (and receive) Corrective and constructive feedback is harder to give (and receive) Continuum between formative and summative Due process is important Valued by faculty Positive & reinforcing feedback is easy to give (and receive) Corrective and constructive feedback is harder to give (and receive) Continuum between formative and summative Due process is important ARE WE DIFFERENT FROM OUR STUDENTS?Feedback is...

15. OPPORTUNITIES To express appreciation To encourage dialogue To share information To guide reflection To clarify expectations

16. OPPORTUNITIES To advise To explore new directions To mentor To identify emerging leaders To promote excellence To jointly plan for the upcoming year

17. CHALLENGES • Fear of damaging the relationship • Awkward to communicate • Confrontational • Nothing will change • Assumption that faculty members instinctively know their strengths and weaknesses • Past difficult experiences

18. THE COST OF AVOIDANCE • Failure to reinforce desired performance • Suboptimal performance unchanged • Confirms faculty assumptions that all is fine • Failure to meet faculty members’ needs • Impact on role modeling and departmental culture • Consequences on accreditation • Longterm effect on departmental success

19. Failure to fulfill our role as LEADER

20. Should be viewed as a “normal” component of faculty life: expectedand routine Performance criteria should be clear Specific behaviors and aspects of performance Non judgmental language (Use “I” statements) Limited in quantity Bi-directionaldialogue rather than Chair/Chief-led transmission of information only Includes plans for future change EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK: GENERAL GUIDELINES

21. THE CAIRN MODEL OF CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK • Context (Individualized) • Action (Performance) • Impact (Positive or negative) • Review (Common understanding) • Next steps (Action Plan) T. De la Rosa

22. THE PENDLETON MODEL: REFLECTIVE FEEDBACK CONVERSATION • The faculty states what is good about his or her performance • The chair/chief states areas of agreement and elaborates on good performance • The faculty states what area of performance could be improved • The chair/chief states what he/she thinks could be improved

23. EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK: SPECIFIC GUIDELINES • Related to goals defined in earlier meetings • Clear and explicit expectations • Based on objective data • Aligned with departmental vision • Positive feedback included • Expectations defined together for the upcoming year • Don’t make it personal!

24. DON’TS Don’t impose your views Don’t focus only on problems Don’t focus on personality issues Don’t include sarcasm or anger Don’t avoid the difficult situations Don’t give mixed messages (but...) Don’t give a long rambling monlogue!

25. DO’S • Plan ahead • Come prepared • Ensure your colleague comes prepared • Use objective information • Be specific • Be timely and regular • Commit to regulated honesty • Accept to receive feedback

26. DO’S • Ensure privacy • Take the necessary time • Do a lot of listening (80-20) • Develop future goals and plans collaboratively • Be concrete and specific • Ensure expectations are clear and understood • Value and reinforce the relationship • Document the process

27. “The trouble with opportunity is that it always comes disguised as hard work” Anonymous CONCLUSION