2.2.h Feedback
Facilitate a culture of dialogue by establish a trusting relationship with the people you give and receive feedback with regularly. Not everyone feels comfortable giving feedback, and others are not able to receive it.
If we see feedback as information provided with the intent of narrowing the gap between actual and desired performance (8), then feedback can help improve self-awareness and stimulate life-long learning. Feedback is most effective when given in a timely manner and when offered with specificity and is aimed at observable performance (8).
Feedback should be provided about the 6 criteria for high quality maternity care:
- safety
- effectiveness
- timeliness
- efficiency
- equitable distribution of workload
- adherence to person-centred or family-centred care.
View feedback as a conversation, rather than a lecture, by sharing input and reasoning. Some practical suggestions regarding feedback are:
- Focus on performance and process
- Be specific and clear
- Provide elaborated feedback, but in manageable units
Describe what you saw or heard and be specific. Sometimes you may want to quote the person. Consider the credibility of the feedback. Feedback that is perceived not to be credible will be dismissed and similarly, feedback that is given by someone perceived as not credible will also dismissed (8). There are a few things to avoid when giving feedback: Avoid normative comparisons, which means to compare against the assumed normal or correct way to do things. Avoid threats to self-esteem by choosing to focus on the performance rather than the person and by not singling one person out. Do not interrupt the person with feedback if the person is actively engaged in problem-solving or integrating the feedback. Avoid excessive use of praise during feedback, but strive for balance between positive and negative. People tend to internalize positive reinforcement over things perceived to be negative. Finally feedback is best when incorporated into an overall culture of dialogue for learning and improvement. Practicing feedback and following up on what actions are taken are equally important. Devise a way to demonstrate that feedback is working.