© Copyright 2016 Soul Fire Farm Institute Inc. Usage guidelines here.
Objective: Real Talk is a tool for developing leadership in individuals and positive growth in organizations. It is where people give and receive honest feedback on the work they’ve done individually and organizationally. Real Talk presumes the existence of a standards and expectations document that outlines the responsibilities of each person. Feedback is given in reference to the agreed upon expectations.
Version 1: Whole Group Circle #
Round 1 - Reflection on Team (5 minutes each)
- I think the following things are going well in our team dynamics…
- I think the following things are challenges in our team dynamics…
- I am proud of the work we are doing in the world, specifically…
- I wish we we doing better in terms of our work in the world, specifically…
Round 2 - Reflection on Self (5 minutes each)
- These are the ways the I am being my best self in this organization…
- These are the ways that the team is supporting me to be my best self…
- These are the current challenges and “areas of growth” that I am bringing to the work…
- These are the ways I wish the team could be more or differently supportive…
- The feelings I have about my role in the organization are…
Round 3 - Closing (3 minutes each)
- Something I learned from this conversation is…
- Something I will do going forward based on what I learned is…
- What I most value and appreciate about this team right now is…
As time allows - Open dialogue and solution-building on the themes that arose in structured rounds.
Version 2: 1:1 SAW Feedback Session #
Done in rotations. From The Management Center
“Sometimes the biggest obstacle to giving feedback is just not knowing quite how to have the conversation. The SAW model (S = Share what you see, A = Ask questions, W = Wrap up) is a helpful framework for initiating feedback and turning it into a two-way conversation. Here’s how it works:
SHARE what you see #
Start by sharing what you’ve observed, and explain why it matters. Point out a pattern (if there is one), but be careful not to make assumptions about why it’s happening; let your co-worker share their perspective. The main goal with this step is to get what you’re thinking out into the open, so everyone can get on the same page. For instance, you might say, “I noticed that the meeting didn’t start on time, and we didn’t get to all the topics listed on the agenda. Can we talk about what happened? With so many stakeholders present, it’s important that we appear organized and reliable.”
ASK questions #
SAW should be a conversation, not a one-way communication. That means that you should ask questions to help you and your co-worker both gain a better understanding of what’s going on. You might structure your questions around seeing if your co-worker agrees with your assessment (“How do you think that went?” “Are there things I’m missing?”), finding out causes (“Why do you think these things keep happening at the last minute?”), and getting at what the person should do differently (“What would a system that lets you plan backwards look like?”). And during this conversation, it’s important to listen with an open mind; don’t assume you already know the answers to the questions you’re asking.
WRAP-UP with next steps #
Once you’ve talked with your co-worker about what you saw, and gotten their perspective on it, you should agree on a set of next steps. For positive feedback, this could be as simple as “our members loved your personal outreach – keep it up!” For developmental or corrective feedback, this should be a path forward that emphasizes the specifics of what the co-worker will do differently. And when you’re wrapping up the meeting, ask for a repeat-back to make sure that nothing was lost in translation.”
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Version 4: Hybrid format #
Round 1: Split into pairs on rotation (10 min each, 50 min total):
- I think the following things are going well in our dynamic…
- I think the following things are challenges in our dynamic…
- (?) I am proud of the work we are doing together, specifically…
- (?) I wish we we doing better in terms of our work together, specifically…
Round 2: Whole group (5 min each, 30 min total)
- Something I learned (about myself?) from this conversation is…
- Something I will do going forward based on what I learned is…
- What I most value and appreciate about this team right now is…