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Feedback@LSEG

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Y O U R C O M P L E T E G U I D I N G T O G I V I N G& R E C E I V I N G F E E D B A C KINTERACTIVE PLA YBO OK

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INTRODUCTIONRECEIVING FEEDBACKGIVING FEEDBACK0406070809121416182225262728HOW TO USE THIS PLAYBOOKSELF-EVALUATION30 313233F E E D B A C K @ L S E G |   0 2SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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INTRODUCTIONNew York

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LEADERS ARE KEY TO OUR CULTURECONNECT CREATE OPPORTUNITYDELIVER EXCELLENCE We work as one company to serve our customers. Weunify to get the best from our people and to deliver thegreatest value for our customers. We break downsilos, bringing together data, products, people andpartners globally in new and better ways. We behaveas a truly global organisation, creating inclusive teamswho work in partnership with our customers andstakeholdersF E E D B A C K @ L S E GWe believe it’s our culture that will enable us to realise our ambitions. It’s central to our ability to adapt, grow and deliver. It reflects the best of whateach organisation brings, celebrates the things that make us distinct – and is grounded in the belief that the organisation we create together will bemore than the sum of its parts. Our culture is created by how we behave every day. It’s expressed in three pillars that are critical to our success,individually and collectively.We execute to the highest standards. Good enoughisn’t good enough – we constantly challengeourselves to be better. We deliver on ourcommitments and take ownership of every aspect ofour work. We know that financial communitiesdepend on the integrity of our infrastructure and data,and never compromise on stability and resilience.We have the courage to think differently. We are proud ofour heritage yet not constrained by it. We’re curious andwilling to disrupt ourselves. We expand our horizons andrecognise that brilliant ideas and perspectives can comefrom anywhere. We shape markets in ways that createsustainable value for society and create an impact onsociety Back to Contents

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How do Idemonstratethese behaviourstoday?How can I rolemodel these to myteam, and acrossthe organisation?Which behaviourswill I actively needto focus on anddevelop in thecoming years?Bring Thought Leadership• Shows a deep understanding of and ongoingcuriosity about customer needs, aspirations andtrends• Is courageous, continually learns andchallenges themselves with different thinking• Communicates with credibility to inspire trustAs a leader, you will create theenvironment where people feelengaged, can grow and are able toperform at their best.Our five LSEG Leadership Behaviourshelp us shape a consistently positiveexperience for the people we lead.LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOURSQUESTIONS TOASK YOURSELFABOUT OURLEADERSHIPBEHAVIOURSF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  0 5Attract & Develop• Attracts and engages diverse talent• Champions development and grows capabilityfor the future• Focuses team on vision, inspires and enablesthem to achieve itF E E D B A C K @ L S E GConnect To Achieve• Reaches across the organisation to bring theright expertise and diverse thinking together• Leads with trust, openness and humility• Influences with insight and respect to deliverthe best way forwardDeliver Outstanding Execution• Aspires for excellence – sets, expects anddrives the highest standards for self and teams• Agile and solution-oriented: takes ownership of outcomes• Motivates high performing teams to deliverwithout compromising qualityThink Strategically• Spots opportunities to position the organisationfor the long-term• Applies sound judgement and decision-makingto pursue ideas that deliver sustainable value• Ensures clarity of purpose, direction andprioritiesSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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WHAT'S THE POINT? Think of the best feedback you have ever had.What made it so effective? How was it given? Whathappened as result of the feedback? Now do the samefor the worst feedback you have ever had. Tapping intowhat good and bad feedback feels like can really helpyou in formulating and delivering effective and impactfulfeedback.YOUR BEST AND WORST?ENABLINGPERFORMANCETHROUGH FEEDBACK F E E D B A C K @ L S E GF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |   0 6 Feedback helps peopleunderstand their strengths andweaknesses, as well as theimpact they have on theircolleagues. This self-awarenesscan provoke behaviour changethat enables people to becomemore effective, more efficient,and more fulfilled at work.The trouble is, people do not getenough feedback. According toone piece of research, 60% ofrespondents said they would likefeedback on a daily or weeklybasis which increased to 72% foremployees under 30. More than75% of respondents believe thatfeedback is valuable. About 45%of respondents also valuefeedback from their peers andclients or customers, yet lessthan 30% said they receive it.People are hungry for feedback,and it is not just praise andrecognition they seek. They wantconstructive feedback that willhelp them to learn and grow. Inlight of this, we have seen inrecent years a shift away fromfeedback that is limited to annualreviews, and towardsorganisations building a culturethat thrives on ongoing, regularfeedback."When it comes to feedback, we allwant it, but none of us really want tohear it (at least when it's bad). Butfrankly, we all need it. It helps usimprove more quickly and do our jobbetter."5 MINUTE READ SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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It is scientific fact we all share two primal needs, which arephysiologically and mentally as important as food and water - asense of identity and a sense of belonging. These needs are sostrong that our brain subconsciously assesses whether we belongin every situation we enter – even before our senses havereceived any other information. It is a primitive overhanging fromwhen belonging to a group was critical for our survival. Without asense of identity and belonging we can suffer from low self-esteem, poor decision-making and mental health issues. If feedback is given in the wrong way and affects our sense ofbelonging and identity, then it never has the chance to help usgrow. Maslow’s theory describes human motivation and suggeststhat in order for motivation to arise at the next stage, each priorstage must be satisfied within the individual themselves. Self-actualisation describes achieving one’s full potential.One mayexpect that feedback supports self-actualisation… But this isn’tnecessarily true. Let’s go back to our need for belonging. Weassess our sense of belonging by whether we are part of an ‘in-group’, where we are safe, or an ‘out-group’ where we areconsider as an outsider.CHANGING HEARTS & MINDSF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  0 7Critical feedback can indicate to an individual that they do notbelong – and the primitive brain indicates to us that we aretherefore not safe. In addition, if the criticism is personal it canaffect the individual’s sense of identity, which is critical forself-esteem. Belonging and identity are drivers of how webehave and make decisions – so poor feedback couldtherefore negatively affect performance.F E E D B A C K @ L S E GMINDSET:CHANGING THEWAY YOU THINKTO FULFILL YOURPOTENTIALRECOMMENDED READ11 MINUTELEARN SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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Dealing with criticism is not simply an exercise of mentalcontrol. Who among us has not experienced the racingheartbeat, tense muscles, and rise in blood pressure themoment an exam paper is delivered with a grade or a pieceof work is heavily edited by somebody else?When our actions are called into question, we are forced tocounteract our own physiology. A different nervous systemcircuit handles negative information/events than handlespositive information/events. Even after a response to criticism or negative feedback, thebrain retains a changed pattern of neuronal connectionsbetween cells. Thus, these negative systems are moresensitive and as a result, we react quickly and viscerally tobad news. So next time somebody says you don’t take feedback well,hit them with that science!WHY WE MAY FEAR FEEDBACK:THE SCIENCEF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  0 8F E E D B A C K @ L S E GThe Science of Receiving Feedback3 MINUTELEARN SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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FEEDBACK CULTURESF E E D B A C K @ L S E GA feedback culture is essentially aworkplace culture that is focused onhonest feedback between employees,between employees and managers, andbetween managers and executives. Afeedback culture is a culture whereevery employee feels they have theright to give feedback to another personin the organisation – no matter wherethey may fall on the organisationalchart.Singapore Back to Contents

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ENABLING PERFORMANCE F E E D B A C K @ L S E GF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |   1 0Tone From the Top Senior Leaders are responsible for setting the tonewhich allows a feedback culture to develop. Manyfeedback cultures fail to get going because seniorleaders think that 'the rules don't apply to them'.Psychological Safety For a feedback culture to flourish there must bea climate of psychological safety. This iscreated through leadership trust, role-modellingand excellent talent development skillsPositive Intention All feedback, whether positive or critical, shouldbe delivered for one purpose only - to support thepersonal growth and development of the receiverEmpowerment & Respect We all have choices. Feedback should never feellike it is being 'done' to somebody. All colleaguesshould be respected and all colleagues have achoice as to whether or not they act upon feedbackthat is givenLeadership Role-modelling Feedback cultures develop where feedback issolicited rather than imposed. It is theresponsibility of all leaders to role model thisbehaviour.FEEDBACK AS A PERFORMANCEENABLER: THE KEY PRINCIPLES5 MINUTE READCULTUREKILLERSPOLITICSFeedback cultures do not flourish inhighly political environments and it is aleader's responsibility to call outpolitical behaviours demonstrated bycolleaguesHIERARCHYVALUE JUDGEMENTSIn a feedback culture diversity ofall kinds is leveraged andaccepted. Organisations aremore innovative and agile wherea range of personality types andleadership styles are valued.Favouring one style orpersonality type kills feedbackcultures and creates exclusivityFeedback has no rank andregardless of position everybodyhas the right to give and requestfeedback. Seniority also does notmean that feedback is any moreimportant, relevant or must beaccepted.Maintain or Enhance Self-Esteem Self-esteem and wellbeing are central to ahealthy feedback culture. If critical feedbackimpacts self-esteem, it is being done badly. BUILDING A FEEDBACKRICH CULTURE SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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GIVING FEEDBACKHong Kong Back to Contents

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LET'S START WITH THE BASICSA recent study found that even the mention ofthe word 'feedback' can cause the heart rate toincrease by up to 50%. This is because thebrain signals to the body that it may be indanger and so the fight/flight response kicksin. Fear of criticism is a normal humanresponse as it taps into one of our mostprimitive needs as discussed earlier - our needto belong and be accepted by others. If wedon't feel accepted self-esteem suffers.Feedback done well can be a powerfulperformance enabler, but done badly can havethe opposite effect. No feedback at all is betterthan bad feedback. Starting with the Three Guiding Principles, thissection will guide you through everything youshould consider when formulating anddelivering great feedback that really makes adifference.F E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  1 2G I V I N G F E E D B A C K2 MINUTE LEARN HOW TO GIVEEMPATHETICFEEDBACKSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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THREE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR FEEDBACK EXCELLENCE COLLABORATIVE ANDSUPPORTIVE POSITIVE AND FREE OFBIASMY EXPERIENCE OF WORKING WITH YOUGreat feedback builds relationships,enhances a sense of belonging andcreates positive energyYour frame of mind should be positive,acknowledging potential biases anddesigned to support the progress ofcolleaguesYou can only describe your ownexperiences and your language should notbe accusatory. You need to own thefeedback by using ‘I’ more than ‘you’F E E D B A C K @ L S E G | 1 3SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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In one study the majority of people said thatthey prefer to receive feedback - positive ornegative - than to give feedback. Thisrelates to our desire to connect with othersand not cause hurt, as well as our fear ofrepercussions when giving critical feedback.The most important thing about givingfeedback is balancing the level of challengeand support appropriately. There is adynamic tension between these two thingsin the workplace as we have to both deliverresults and protect the relationships with ourcolleagues. Challenge too hard and youmay damage the relationship, protect therelationship too much by not being honestand lack of performance improvementimpacts results. RIGHTG E T T I N G I TF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  1 4KIM SCOTTTALKSABOUT HERBOOK'RADICALCANDOR'Feedback is collaborative and the aim shouldalways be to do what is best for the individualyou are giving feedback to. If, whenformulating feedback, you feel you might bebeing overly negative or too soft, ask yourselfwhy and what the impact will be on thereceiver.Ih her book 'Radical Candor' Kim Scottdescribe this balance as 'caring personally'and 'challenging directly'G I V I N G F E E D B A C K20 MINUTE LEARN PRACTICALADVICE ONHOW TOGIVEFEEDBACKTO YOURBOSS23 MINUTELISTENSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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S Give an objective and specificdescription of an event thatreflects your rating. Don’t writethings such as ‘you always’ or ‘yousometimes’. BDescribe EXACTLYwhat youobserved. Checkthat your memoryis not clouded bybias and talk onlyin actions orbehaviours NOTabout personalityeg ‘You are’IHow the situationmade you feel. Don'tgeneralise youropinion to others, asyou are only able todescribe YOURexperience.F E E D B A C K @ L S E G | 1 5A SIMPLE FRAMEWORK TO HELP YOU TO STRUCTURE FEEDBACK ITUATION EHAVIOUR MPACTSBI MODEL DEVELOPED BY 'THE CENTER FOR CREATIVE LEADERSHIP'SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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M I N D Y O U R L A N G U A G E !This language is aggressive andimplies that you understand theintent of the behaviour. Thislanguage hits hard and will elicita negative response.BLUNT REJECTIONYou don’t want fullresponsibility for the feedback You want to signal tosomebody that they are theoutsider, that they do notbelongYou want to exert authorityover somebodyThere are several reasons wemay slip into this type of language1.2.3.GENERALISINGOPINION TO OTHERSFeedback should providecommentary only on yourexperience of the behaviour –nobody has the right in theworkplace to critique thepersonality or identity of anyoneelse. Look out for how often youuse ‘You’ rather than ‘I’ indescribing your experience ofworking with somebodyPERSONAL ATTACKSLanguage is critical for great feedback. Your focus (caring personally and challenging directly) can be subtlybetrayed by the language you use. When you begin to formulate feedback you should focus on theimportance of translating what you think is good intent into language.F E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  1 6G I V I N G F E E D B A C KEveryone thinks that you...That is totally unacceptablleYou don't care about other people's feelingsSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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T H E A R T O F T H I N K I N G C L E A R L YWe all hold our own subjective world views and are influenced andshaped by our experiences, beliefs, values, education, family, friends,peers and others. Being aware of one's biases is vital to both personalwell-being and professional success.We should always be particularly aware of unconscious bias aroundcharacteristics protected by law such as age, gender pregnancy,disability. In these cases the bias is not only unhelpful but could beunlawful.Let’s have a look at some of the biases that can impair our judgement.CHECK YOUR BIASES!F E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  1 7SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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AuthoritybiasFrom an early age we are taught that we must not disobey a greatauthority, and authority is used to reinforce the status of many roles insociety. In the workplace, hierarchy may reinforce this and when askedfor feedback on someone in a higher position it is tempting to think thatthey either know more than you or you are not in the position to profferconstructive feedback. You should remember that status does not meanall-knowing, all-seeing !Halo/HorneffectFalseCausalityWhen we know somebody is particularly goodor bad at one thing, or we have had aparticularly good or bad experience withthem, the more likely we are to extend thisjudgement to everything else.ConfirmationbiasCHECK YOUR BIASES!A false-causality fallacy is based on themistaken assumption that because one eventfollows another, the first event caused thesecond. For example, a colleague attends aclient meeting for the first time. Shortly after,a deal which has been in the making for sometime actually closes. The colleague takescredit, when actually they did very little in themeeting and the deal was coming to itsnatural close after a long period of hard workby the rest of the team.Super investor Warren Buffet sums up this bias perfectly… “What thehuman being is best at doing, is interpreting all new information sothat their prior conclusions remain intact" When judging ourselves andothers, we often make an instant judgement and then go looking forevidence to prove it, conveniently ignoring anything to the contrary…F E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  1 8G I V I N G F E E D B A C KSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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Envy biasself-servingbiasCherry-pickingSimilarity/affinitybiasIn short, we have a tendency to attribute successto ourselves and failures to external factors. Inaddition, we tend to over-estimate thecontributions we make – this has been proven insurveys with married couples where the majorityof the couples both believe that they make morethan 50% contribution to the health of theirmarriage!This bias is one that many of us find difficult to admit. When we areenvious of someone's talents or success in can play out in subtle butdamaging ways. You may find that you are more apt to look forweaknesses or remember mistakes that are made. Taking control ofyour biases means being honest with yourself - never use feedback toknock someone of whom you are envious down a peg or two..If we are similar to or have something incommon with someone we are less likely togive them critical feedback – they are a mirrorto ourselves and we find it difficult to see theflaws in ourselves…When you go onto a hotel website the photographs have been carefullyselected to portray beautiful, majestic interiors. They leave out the lessappealing details such as the shabby lobby or the more cramped,viewless bedrooms. Do you start preparing for your annual review bymaking a list of all the things you have achieved that year..? Next time,think about the ‘leftover cherries’ and what they really say about yourperformance…CHECK YOUR BIASES!F E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  1 9G I V I N G F E E D B A C KSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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The more we like someone the more inclined we are to want to helpthem – and the less inclined we are to give them negative feedback… ifyou like somebody the best thing you can do for them is to be honestwith them in your feedback. Done the right way this should not damagethe relationship; but if you don't make them aware of potential blindspots, you are doing them a disservice... Outcome biasRecencybiasLikingbiasThis is the tendency to evaluate decisions based on the resultrather than on the decision process. What other external forceswere at play to affect the result? What if you had made a differentdecision? Could the result have been even better? You come out of a meeting where you feelthat you were undermined by your linemanager – he has never done this before andis usually fair and empowering. You sit downand decide to complete his 360 feedback…when it comes to the question regardingempowerment, your mind goes immediately tothe recent event. And forgets everything thathas gone before…CHECK YOUR BIASES!F E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  2 0ROLFDOBELLI 'THE ART OFTHINKINGCLEARLY'G I V I N G F E E D B A C KREADOUTSMARTYOUR OWNBIASES11 MINUTE WATCH5 MINUTE READSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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3.1.2.WHAT DON'T I KNOW ANDWHAT ASSUMPTIONS AM IMAKING ?AM I DISEMPOWERINGANYONE WITH MYACTIONS?F E E D B A C K @ L S E G | 2 1GIVINGNEGATIVEFEEDBACKACROSSCULTURESG I V I N G F E E D B A C KINCLUSIVE FEEDBACKWhen preparing to give feedback you should askyourself 3 key questions to ensure you are beinginclusive and free from bias:HOW MIGHT MY ACTIONSIMPACT THE SELF-ESTEEMAND WELLBEING OF MYCOLLEAGUE?•Challenge your assumptions when preparing feedback•What don't you know that might impact the validity of yourfeedback?•What biases might be affecting your judgements? Are youmaking suppositions based on difference?•Inclusion means everyone. Think about cultural differencesand personality types for example. How similar to you is thefeedback recipient and how might this be favouring ordisempowering them?•If you are giving feedback across cultures consider whatimpact this may have on how the feedback is received?•Consider everything you know about the person - is anyelement of the feedback likely to have a significant negativeimpact? How can you frame the feedback in a way that itwon't impact self-esteem?•Ask yourself this question - if you were this colleague wouldthe feedback you are about to give impact your sense ofbelonging in the organisation?5 MINUTE READSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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Time and place can make or breakfeedback. Get it wrong and not only willthe feedback be useless, but you mayalso damage the relationship with yourcolleague. Whilst it is important to providefeedback as close to the observedevent as possible, there are two thingswhich you must consider. Firstly, avoidgiving feedback publicly, particularly if itis critical. It may be appropriate to saysomething like 'well done', but feedbackrequires more time and detail whichdoesn't require an audience. Secondly,relating to this is ensuring that there issufficient time to do the feedbackjustice. Leaving a meeting room maynot give enough time but you mightintroduce the feedback and ask if youcan discuss it a later time.As outlined in the HBR podcastopposite, consideration needs to begiven to providing feedback remotely.Be conscious of any other things thatmay be going on for your colleague, asreceiving critical feedback may beoverwhelming if there are otherpressures and priorities.WHEN AND WHERE?A TIMEAND APLACE...G I V I N G F E E D B A C KIS IT HARD FORYOU TO GIVE ORGET FEEDBACKREMOTELY?TIMELYFEEDBACKF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  2 22 MINUTE LEARN30 MINUTE LISTENSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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Performance enablement is akey lever in the achievement ofour strategic objectives and ourcultural change. It helps us allhave clear expectations aboutwhat we need to do and how wedo it at both an individual andorganisational level. It connectsindividual performance impactwith reward and links individualgrowth and development to theneeds of our business.Performance enablement iscentered around supportingpeople to perform at their best.Our approach encouragesregular performance discussionswith your People Leader, basedon stretching personal objectiveswhich directly support our Groupand Divisional StrategicObjectives.WHEN AND WHERE?FORMAL FEEDBACK: QUARTERLY CONNECTG I V I N G F E E D B A C KINFORMAL FEEDBACK : ONE MINUTE PRAISE OR REDIRECTOnce development goals havebeen established formally, agreehow the receiver would likeinformal feedback betweenquarterly connects. Allow thereceiver to take the lead andencourage them to ask forregular feedback. If you have astrong relationship, they might behappy for you to offer feedbacktoo. This need not be timeconsuming - making a habit ofusing the one minute feedbackmodel described in The One RESTATE ORREINFORCEDEVELOPMENT GOALDESCRIBE WHAT WAS OBSERVEDPRAISE ORREDIRECTBEHAVIOUR BYDESCRIBINGIMPACTRECOMMENDED READ'THE NEW ONEMINUTE MANAGER'KEN BLANCHARD &SPENCERJOHNSONPERFORMANCEENABLEMENTQuarterly Connects are regular, focuseddiscussions that take place at the end of eachquarter as a continuous dialogue with yourPeople Leader.Quarterly Connects ensure that performance is not just an annualconversation; they are a means of continuous dialogue ensuring we are allon track to deliver impact and create value for the business. These conversations enable continuous dialogue and focus on real-timeperformance and development. Tracking quarterly progress againstobjectives ensuring agility and course-correction to ensure they stayconnected to business needs.Having these conversations quarterly helps to build your performance storythroughout the year – providing you and your People Leader a full pictureof your performance at year-end. Minute Manager allows feedback to be given regularly in real time. This keeps development goals frontof mind and supports lasting behaviour change. F E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  2 3SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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RECEIVING FEEDBACKSan Francisco Back to Contents

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FEEDBACK IS A GIFT ... OR IS IT?Feedback is a gift if it is both delivered and received well. However, we knowthat this isn't always the case, and there are few phrases uttered in theworkplace which instil as much dread as "Can I give you some feedback?"Receiving feedback well requires emotional control and curiosity. Feedbackcultures thrive when feedback is solicited rather than imposed, giving controland choice to the receiver. Asking for feedback from colleagues regularly,along with adopting a growth mindset, is the most powerful way to developtowards your goals. Leaders should role-model this behaviour which willcreate psychological safety, giving others the confidence and encouragementto do the same .THE JOY OF RECEIVING FEEDBACKLISTENA SUBORDINATE'S CRITICISM MAKES YOU MORE CREATIVER E C E I V I N G F E E D B A C KF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  2 5CREATE A GROWTHMINDSETWITHFEEDBACK 5 MINUTE READ9 MINUTE WATCH4 MINUTE LEARNSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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Emotional Intelligence (EI) can be defined as a set ofemotional and social skills that influence the way weperceive and express ourselves, develop and maintainsocial relationships, cope with challenges, and useemotional information in an effective and meaningful way.When it comes to both giving and receiving feedback,emotional self-control is critical in helping you to be ableto control emotions and impulses. Cognition is defined as ‘the mental action or process ofacquiring knowledge and understanding through thought,experience, and the senses.’ The mental processes weuse relate to the input and storage of information and howthat information is then used to guide your behaviour. It isin essence, the ability to perceive and react, process andunderstand, store and retrieve information, makedecisions and produce appropriate responses. However, the process frequently suffers from a glitch –but a very important one.HANDLING EMOTIONS Early humans were exposed to the constant threat ofbeing killed or injured by wild animals or other tribes. Toimprove the chances of survival, the fight- or-flightresponse evolved. It’s an automatic response to physicaldanger that allows you to react quickly withoutthinking.The frontal lobe of the brain is where reasoningand other executive functions take place. But faced withperceived threat, the amygdala takes over and becomesthe driver of our behaviours… which can be a bad thing!Two scenarios: You have just had a public disagreement with a colleagueand you are feeling very angry. At that point it would notbe wise to think about completing feedback for yourcolleague!You receive your report and your ratings are poor in oneparticular area. How do you feel? Probably not great. If we go back to what we were looking at earlier, this initialresponse is related to our need for belonging and toprotect our identity. In terms of feedback, it is quite easy toallow these feelings to fester and not move forward from it.However, acknowledging how you are feeling and why itcan help you to move to move to the point wherereasoning returns and you can start to explore thefeedback. Only then are you able to consider itsimplications and draw conclusions to help you to progressin the future.THE RIGHT WAYTO RESPOND TONEGATIVEFEEDBACKR E C E I V I N G F E E D B A C K6 STEPS TO IMPROVE YOUR EMOTIONALINTELLIGENCEF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  2 611 MINUTE WATCH5 MINUTE READSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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One of the main reasons feedback cultures fail to develop isbecause it feels very much like feedback is being 'done' to people,mainly by line managers and leaders. Central to the ethos of afeedback culture is the notion of choice. We are not obliged toaccept and act upon all feedback that is given to us - even whengiven with the best intentions, sometimes it just isn't that useful orisn't aligned with our personal development goals.The most important thing when making choices about feedback isto be honest with yourself. If your first instinct is to reject thefeedback ask yourself why. If you disagree with the feedback try tounderstand why this may be the feedback provider's perception.On the following page we will explore how to break down thefeedback you are given by asking questions and looking forthemes. Curiosity is one of the most powerful personaldevelopment attributes.MAKING CHOICESR E C E I V I N G F E E D B A C KF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  2 7GOOD FEEDBACKIS A TWO WAYCONVERSATION5 MINUTE READSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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Am I aware of what thisstrength looks like when Iam using it? Withoutknowing this it is difficult tobe able to consciouslydeploy the strength across arange of situations.What other situations arethere where I could deploythis strength?Can this strength bedeveloped further? How might this strength beused in the next stage of mycareer?We tend to spend more timemulling over critical feedback,whilst going little beyond thefeel-good factor when it comesto positive feedback. In doingso, you miss the opportunity tocash in on and develop yourstrengths. So when you aregiven praise or positivefeedback, ask yourself thesequestions:1.2.3.4.Focusing on strengths anddeveloping weaknesses whichare negatively impacting yourperformance or career is key togetting the most from feedback.BREAKING IT DOWNACCENTUATE THEPOSITIVEDo you understand it?When you are given feedback it is useful torepeat it back to the provider to ensure thatyou have understood it correctly. Askquestions so that you have a goodunderstanding of the implications R E C E I V I N G F E E D B A C KWhy was the feedback given?In what context did you receive thefeedback? Was the feedback solicited ornot? Consider how this may impact yourinitial response.Who? What? When?Consider who the feedback giver is andyour relationship with them. Consider thetype of feedback - informal, peer or part ofthe 360 process? Consider the situationobserved in the feedback and yourrecollection of itThemesIs the feedback given something you haveheard before? If it is part of the 360process, is there a pattern to the feedback?If you can identify themes, are you awareof it and know what to do about it? If not,what else do you need to know?Feedback is Feedback - Not TruthFeedback is feedback from one perspectiveand is not an absolute truth. If you areapproaching your interpretation of thefeedback with a growth mindset and you don'tfind it to be useful or valid, you have the rightto choose not to act upon it.Strokes & PokesEach of us tend to have a natural positivityor negativity bias. Being aware of whatyours is will help you to look objectively atthe feedback and interpret it in a usefulway.F E E D B A C K @ L S E G |   2 8SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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SELF-EVALUATIONSydneySHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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HARSHEST CRITIC ORBIGGEST FAN?When it comes to self-evaluation it can be hard to be objective, and many ofus have a tendency to lean more towards either being the harsh critic or thegreatest fan. This impacts how we receive feedback and how successfully weare able to judge our own performance. When we have low self-esteem we tend to be hyper alert to 'rejection cues' toconfirm the value we hold of the self. On the other hand if we are unable tosee our faults we are more likely to reject any perceived criticism and areprone to over-estimating performance. The key is to get the balance right toprovide an objective assessment. If you are aware of low self-esteem,become mindful of positive cues and question when you may be being tooharsh on yourself. If you are apt to reject criticism, ask why this may be thecase and in future seek to understand any constructive feedback you aregiven.,S E L F - E V A L U A T I O NF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  3 0THE POWER OF SELF-AWARENESS18 MINUTE WATCHSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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Johari’s window can help us tounderstand ourselves and how we relateto others. By developing relationshipswith others by revealing more of ourhidden self, we can develop trust suchthat we seek feedback about our blindself. As this happens, the open windowgrows as greater self-awarenessdevelops. However, be aware that self-awarenessis not a place you arrive at, it is not staticand complete self-awareness isimpossible. One recent piece of research says thatwe can’t self-evaluate effectivelybecause we don’t always have all theinformation we need - we don’t knowwhat we don’t know! Without a suitablerole model, we have no comparative dataand without seeking or receiving greatfeedback, we have little insight into howthe world sees us. For this information we need to lookoutward, not inward – what objectivedata do you have to assess yourcompetence in one particular area?Performance data, feedback you havealready received, outcomes, think backover the past week or month to howmany times you have demonstrated thisbehaviour or skill?When we self-evaluate without objectiveand comparative data our judgments arealmost useless. If you search internallyfor the answer, you will only tap into thepsychological need to not be wrong andto protect your own identity. WHY IS IT SO HARD?THE JOHARIWINDOWS E L F - E V A L U A T I O NTHE JOHARIWINDOW MODELLEARN5 MINUTE READDEVELOPING SELF-AWARENESSF E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  3 1MEN GET MOREACTIONABLEFEEDBACK THANWOMEN1 MINUTE WATCHSHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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THREE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR SELF-EVALUATION1.2.3.INTENTION V IMPACTCHECK YOUR DATACHECK YOUR BIASESWe all have a tendency to judge ourselveson our intentions and others on theirbehaviour. While your intentions may begood and match with one of the directorbehaviours, when self-evaluating you mustconsider the impact you have had on others.It is about what you do and how it isexperienced by others that is key – so lookoutwards and remember that this is notabout who you are. Where you know youcould have done better say why and whatyou would do in future.Challenge your initial instinct whencompleting the questionnaire. Why doyou believe this to be true? Have youbeen given this feedback by others youtrust? What examples can you give?What impact have you had on others?How is your demonstration of thisbehaviour affected outcomes ordecisions?Make sure your mind is open andobjective. Re-read the materials from thisworkshop before you begin to help you todevelop the right attitude and frame ofmind for completing the questionnaire. Ifyou are struggling to find examples toback up a rating, check that your biasesare not getting in the way of yourjudgement.F E E D B A C K @ L S E G |  3 2SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents

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G I V I N G & R E C E I V I N GF E E D B A C K T O O L K I TThere are many more courses relating tofeedback on LinkedIn and we recommendthis course if you would prefer to workthrough a full programme. ADDITIONALRESOURCESF E E D B A C K @ L S E G | 3 3SHERIDAN RESOLUTION 2021.. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Back to Contents