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Harnessing the Supernerd Hivemind: the Power of...

Harnessing the Supernerd Hivemind: the Power of Feedback

~20min talk on getting better at soliciting and receiving feedback, delivered at New Relic annual product org offsite.

Katherine Wu

June 08, 2016
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Transcript

  1. intro > what is feedback? who is asked what is

    said what is met with enthusiasm what actions are taken
  2. intro > what is feedback? who is asked what is

    said what is met with enthusiasm what actions are taken …or not …or not …or not …or not
  3. why people hesitate > 2. belief that nothing will change

    put themselves out on a limb…
 for nothing.
  4. why people hesitate > 2. belief that nothing will change

    3. large effort for right tone 1. uncertainty about reception
  5. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone

    problem gets worse with more levels
  6. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone

    “I make mistakes like the next man. In fact, being —forgive me—rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger."
  7. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone

    “I make mistakes like the next man. In fact, being —forgive me—rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger."
  8. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone

    difficult to get feedback as you’re more senior
  9. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone

    people feel it isn’t “their place”
  10. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone

    “Execs don’t get told when something is going wrong.”
  11. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone

    “we want to bring bad news into the light”
  12. why people hesitate > 3. large effort for right tone

    “…only works if there is no shame or fear.”
  13. 1. get truly comfortable > a story “You’ll want to

    ask your friend, but they’ll just be nice.”
  14. 1. get truly comfortable > a story “But really, you

    should ask someone who’s going to just tear into it, just like, really rip it apart.”
  15. 1. get truly comfortable > a story “But really, you

    should ask someone who’s going to just tear into it, just like, really rip it apart.”
  16. 1. get truly comfortable > a story …probably doesn’t make

    you want to ask me for edits! (I’m nicer now, promise!)
  17. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept

    > 1. be authentic be honest with yourself
  18. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept

    > 1. be authentic be honest with yourself
  19. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept

    2. recognize your emotions 3. 1. be authentic
  20. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept

    2. recognize your emotions 3. choose to be informed 1. be authentic
  21. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept

    > 3. be informed don’t have to use the proposed solution
  22. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept

    > 3. be informed but getting information
  23. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept

    > 3. be informed prioritization is up to you
  24. 1. get truly comfortable > ways to help yourself accept

    2. recognize your emotions 3. choose to be informed 1. be authentic
  25. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard “If someone thinks

    I’m doing something wrong, then they’ll just tell me.”
  26. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard “We don’t come

    up with market-dominating products as a team of 1.” Amy Boyle
  27. 1. get truly comfortable > it’s hard What Google Learned

    From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team
  28. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent “What else

    should I consider here? I might be wrong!”
  29. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent things to

    do more of: 1. show excitement (passionate!)
  30. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent things to

    do more of: 1. show excitement 2. disagree in the open (passionate!)
  31. 2. prove sincerity > 1. reaction to dissent things to

    do more of: 1. show excitement 2. disagree in the open 3. have an anonymous channel (passionate!)
  32. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard 3.

    1. examine reaction to dissent
  33. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard >

    be appreciative “creepy twin outfits”
  34. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard >

    be appreciative show appreciation especially when people deliver hard messages
  35. 2. prove sincerity > things to do more of: 1.

    pass Turing test of perspective
  36. 2. prove sincerity > things to do more of: 1.

    pass Turing test of perspective 2. assume best intentions
  37. 2. prove sincerity > things to do more of: 1.

    pass Turing test of perspective 2. assume best intentions 3. listen & ask questions on mental model
  38. 2. prove sincerity > things to do more of: 1.

    pass Turing test of perspective 2. assume best intentions 3. listen & ask questions on mental model (connected!)
  39. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard 3.

    tell people what happens 1. examine reaction to dissent
  40. 2. prove sincerity > 2. make people feel heard 3.

    tell people what happens (accountable) 1. examine reaction to dissent
  41. 2. prove sincerity > 3. tell people what happens “without

    a response, people will stop speaking”
  42. 2. prove sincerity > “If you haven’t deliberately created an

    environment that welcomes candor and makes it safe for people to speak freely, you can’t assume that they are.”
  43. 3. help others help you > 1. explain context &

    give direction give people time to prepare
  44. 3. help others help you > 1. explain context &

    give direction what should I… do more of do less of continue doing
  45. 3. help others help you > 1. explain context &

    give direction 30% vs. 90% feedback
  46. 3. help others help you > 2. ask the right

    questions 3. 1. explain context & give direction
  47. 3. help others help you > 2. ask the right

    questions 3. give feedback on the feedback 1. explain context & give direction
  48. 3. help others help you > 3. give feedback on

    the feedback “What was particularly helpful to learn was…”
  49. conclusion > good places to eat
 how amazing this talk

    was!!! feedback I’d like to get

  50. conclusion > good places to eat
 how amazing this talk

    was!!! (“what resonated”)
 feedback I’d like to get

  51. conclusion > good places to eat
 how amazing this talk

    was!!! (“what resonated”)
 what was surprising?
 feedback I’d like to get

  52. conclusion > good places to eat
 how amazing this talk

    was!!! (“what resonated”)
 what was surprising?
 what am I missing? feedback I’d like to get

  53. conclusion > good places to eat
 how amazing this talk

    was!!! (“what resonated”)
 what was surprising?
 what am I missing? feedback I’d like to get

  54. conclusion > “Whenever I talk to KWu, I feel she

    is running an experiment…
 …and I’m the lab rat.”
  55. conclusion > ! thank you for being my lab and

    especially: John Hyland, Amy Boyle, Erika Arnold, Alice Goldfuss, Ashley Puls, Ruby Andrews, Balki Kodarapu, Katie Leonard, Jason Clark, Darin Swanson, Ted Pennings, Seth Engelhard, Caito Scherr, Zoe Kay, Rebecca Holzschuh, Matt Wear, Noelle Daley, Tobby Lugo
  56. outline 1. get truly comfortable 2. prove sincerity 3. help

    others help you be authentic examine how you react to dissent explain context & give people direction recognize & name your emotions make people feel heard ask the right questions choose to be informed tell people what happens give feedback on the feedback
  57. more things to do more of 1. ask for feedback

    regularly 2. explicitly draw people out 3. talk about norms on how feedback should be delivered 4. let other people offer ideas first
  58. more things to say • “If you had to poke

    holes in this, what would you say?” • “I’m not 100% sold that this is the way to go, so would really like to hear other perspectives on it.” • “I hadn’t thought of that before!” • “This was a great thing to flag for us to think through.” • “Thank you for talking to me about this. I’m really glad to have a chance to talk with you about it.”
  59. “Hang in there” motivational poster Admiral Ackbar, Star Wars Episode

    VI: Return of the Jedi Harry Potter (book series) Michelle Tanner, Full House (TV show) meme references