The One-on-One Gift Exchange
This simple, repeatable framework for building a culture of open feedback has been a part of my toolkit for over a decade.
I’ve used this feedback technique — which Corey taught me — for over a decade, across many teams. I love it and trust it.
Creating a culture of open feedback is really important for any team, but innovation teams are particularly subject to ups and downs, and relationships can sour if friction of any kind goes unaddressed. It’s important to be able to give and receive feedback without fear. As Corey points out:
“The innovation journey is hard on relationships. You should not expect the team experience to constantly be moving up and to the right. It will be a rollercoaster. Accepting that fact from the beginning, innovation leaders establish norms and rituals from the outset that prepare their team for when they inevitably hit the bottom of the roller coaster.
Establishing regular feedback rhythms between members of the team ensures they won't blow up. The time for feedback is not just when things are going poorly. Feedback is a muscle that needs to be regularly exercised in all conditions. If you are giving and receiving feedback on a regular basis, it ensures minor corrections that keep your team from going off course.”
If I have one wish, it’s that it was easier to do in virtual team situations. The setup Corey describes where you use Post-Its around a table is brilliant (I also agree with his use of Time Timers, and own more than a few). In a virtual situation, you end up inevitably creating documents and artifacts that feel a little too finite and perfect. Really the feedback should be ephemeral: something you do in the moment as part of a gift exchange that also helps strengthen the foundation of your relationship. I’m still thinking about it.
Give it a try. The first time is a little uncomfortable, but once you’ve done it on a regular basis (the regularity is crucial) it becomes second nature. Open feedback is a key ingredient to building high-performing teams, and this is a great framework to grow that muscle. I couldn’t recommend it more.
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