Giving and receiving feedback is essential to any team-based work environment, whether within a workplace or working with a VA. To help you, we have put together a short guide on one particularly useful tool: the AID model.
When you provide constructive feedback, it encourages communication, collaboration, and a culture of trust necessary for successful projects and partnerships. Feedback, and in turn, communication in general, can really affect the success of a particular task or project.
While giving any negative feedback at first can feel uncomfortable, learning to give constructive feedback is a muscle you strengthen with practice and use. However, it is really essential to provide feedback. Without it, most people, even the most independent and confident, work blindly.
Feedback ensures that everyone has a common goal, that no one lets small tasks slip through the cracks, and that any issues can be raised before they become big problems.
This can have a huge impact on the overall work culture, and in a study conducted by Gallup, providing regular feedback resulted in companies having Lowering the employee turnover rate by almost 15%%.
When giving feedback, positive or negative, it is always essential to remain professional and respectful. Speak with empathy and sincerity to ensure the message gets across without alienating anyone.
Giving constructive criticism helps the receiver understand why the work was not up to par and allows them to learn from their mistakes. Plus, giving compliments on a job well done will show appreciation for hard work and make your teammate feel motivated and appreciated.
What is the AID model?
One way to give feedback is to use the AID model created by Max Landsberg in his book “The Tao of training“.
Divided into three stages, the AID model represents:
- action
- Injury, damage
- Desired behavior/outcome
This model is useful because it offers a structured approach to handling feedback.
When people may get angry or defensive, it can be very easy to get distracted or say the “wrong” thing. However, using the framework of the AID model allows feedback to be provided in a constructive manner.
action
Action is all about talking about the individual’s actions, and most importantly, not about your interpretation or view of them. You can provide more solid feedback by providing the factual information of what you saw and heard instead of your opinion of what you believe they did wrong.
Equally, instead of offering a list of several things you think could have been done differently, focus instead on one key action. It gives something that the individual can work on and build on specifically and offer a factual reason. By being factual, you are less likely to receive any objection.
Injury, damage
Further to bringing the factual action to the individual’s attention, influence deals with the overall result it can have – positive or negative.
When you say something was done wrong, if you don’t explain why, it can reduce the feedback. Equally, when you praise someone but don’t say how it was positive or why it will have a good effect, it can be meaningless.
desired behavior (outcome)
Clarifying what you want to see, whether it’s results, approach, performance or KPIs, makes it easier for all parties to be sure they’re on the same page. Equally, you want to motivate and energize the person you are talking to.
There is no point in saying something is “wrong” but not providing any indication of what is “right”. This leaves everyone feeling unsure of what to do next, or even with some resentment.
On the other hand, if someone has done something positive, if you don’t say anything, there is a risk that he will feel that he has fulfilled all obligations. Maybe they’ll stop trying to do that anymore. You want to encourage a person to continue to strive for the best, so telling him what is expected of him in the future will give him that.
Scenarios where assistance can be used
positive feedback
You have an assistant managing your inbox, and they’ve done a wonderful job. No emails go unanswered, your calendar is up to date, and you return from vacation with a carefully planned to-do list, making it easier to get back to work. This is a situation that will require giving positive feedback. Using the AID model, you can:
action: Explain that their action, monitoring your inbox and making judgment calls shows real skill.
Injury, damage: The effect of this is that you were able to have a relaxed vacation and return to a positive state. It will please not only yourself but also the customers.
Desired behavior/outcome: This could be a case of asking them to continue using that email approach, but also offering support to your business partner who is having trouble keeping up with their inbox.
negative feedback
You have an accounts assistant who is responsible for filling out vendor invoices. You have received an email from a supplier who has not been paid for the last three invoices, despite following up with the accountant on several occasions. You discover that they have triggered their invoice runs using a written list, which was not in place.
action: You are referring to the fact that they missed this client’s invoice payments and are now late.
Injury, damage: Explain that this has upset a vendor part of your business. If they withhold their services, which they deserve at this stage, this may harm the business.
Desired behavior/outcome: You want them to act immediately on invoices and see a more secure and digital way to match invoices in the future.
Preparing to give feedback
Using the feedback model above is a helpful tool. However, it’s important to make sure you prepare before giving feedback.
It can be a delicate situation; As mentioned earlier, people can be defensive or upset. The critical thing to remember here is to make sure you are clear about the feedback you are giving, especially if it is negative, that it is based on action and not based on personality.
This is also something you need to emphasize to the shelter as well. Really get past the point that you criticize the action, not the personality. This is not a personal attack, and you want to work together to create success.
Be mindful of your tone when giving feedback as well. It is often better to give feedback privately and verbally rather than in front of others or via e-mail. Email is great at delivering messages quickly, but many nuances can be lost within the text.
Also, don’t immediately give feedback after a mistake has been made. Again this may cause emotion and subjectivity to be involved. Step away from the situation, allow both parties to process what happened, and then take the time to prepare and ensure the feedback is factual.
Finally, make sure you do it consistently. Not giving feedback and suddenly piling on pitches can be jarring for people.
Feedback is a key element of overall communication within a business, and not providing positive and negative feedback at regular intervals can make people feel like they are working in a vacuum.
Receiving feedback
In addition to giving feedback, you need to be able to receive it. And learning to accept it can be just as important and challenging!
create a A culture of feedback Enables a much more collaborative work environment. This prevents fear or a gap between senior management and any workforce or contractor.
It also ensures that no one is untouchable and that you allow yourself to be approachable and make room for new ideas and ways of doing things.
It also helps with your clientele. It’s too easy to take a complaint from a customer and make it personal. Still, by actively listening, you can build a stronger customer base and even improve your business.
In conclusion
Feedback is the tool that will turn a good business into a great one. When presented sensibly, a little discomfort and reality check allows for new growth and development. If people never get feedback, they can never seek to develop their skills or push themselves further.
Try applying the AID model the next time you need to give feedback. Start with the positive if it feels uncomfortable, and use it for the negative. Like giving feedback, using the model will become a learned skill the more you practice it.
You will soon be able to accurately identify how to identify and deliver feedback more naturally and effectively.
