Healthy feedback is...

For Equity and Joy - #1

Fresh Ideas from Us

💡 Healthy feedback is…

Simply sharing our observations with clarity and care. When done well, it can illuminate the things we have not been able to notice and ultimately impact the way we approach our own growth. 

When we work in teams, the goal is to build enough trust to know that we must rely on one another for each person's perspectives. There is no way I can see every single angle of a given situation, so while my perspective is deeply valuable, I must also bring a degree of curiosity and openness.

💡 How are you close to the center, and how are you close to the margins of power?

Before important feedback conversations, we must understand our own positional power. We frequently used this Wheel of Privilege and Power to help!

The further we are from the center, the more marginalized and powerless we are within societal structures and workplaces. For example, in its Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing, the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office highlights that women and people of color are more likely to experience threats to both their physical and psychological safety at work.

The closer we are to the center, the more important it is to be aware of that power and consider how we are intentionally going to use it. When we ground ourselves in our identity (including our degree of privilege in a specific situation) before making a decision, we can lead in a way that's best for those impacted by that decision. We must understand our own identities to build equitable systems effectively.

This graphic is from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, adapted from James R Vanderwoerd ("Web of Oppression"), and Sylvia Duckworth ("Wheel of Power/Privilege").

Quote from Somebody Else

"Racism is a feedback problem. We need to listen to the feedback from marginalized communities and take action to dismantle systemic racism." - Ava DuVernay

Probing Question

How might you seek feedback about how you use your power at work?

Upcoming Workshop

And, a heads up: Seats are still available in our July 20 public workshop: The Art of Feedback: Transformative Conversations for a More Just World. We’d love to see you there!