Candidate Feedback Systems

My workshop feedback method has a 100% response rate — and uses zero forms. I ditched post-workshop surveys because… no one filled them out and the ones who did wrote things like “Great workshop 🤗 ” (helpful… ish ⁉️ ). So now I use my four-question, four-colour sticky-note system at the closing of a workshop. It’s fast, visual, and human. It surfaces real language, real commitments, and real insight. Reflection becomes baked into the workshop instead of bolted on. Here’s the magic. I ask everyone to respond to these phrases individually 🟡 “I learned / liked / aha!” - Quick bursts of insight. One idea per sticky. No faffing. 🟢 “I will…” (What ideas do you plan to implement immediately?) - The gold. Actual commitments. I can instantly see what’s going to live beyond the room. 🔴 “I wish…” (What support do you need or what else do you wish we had explored today?) - Constructive, honest improvement ideas and what they need to succeed post-workshop. Better than any anonymous text box. 🔵 One word (What single word best describes your overall reaction to the session?) - These become my word cloud*, and it tells me the emotional temperature in one glance. Then, in small groups, participants choose their top insights, star them, and share them with the room. It turns into this joyful moment where you can see what activities really landed and what learning truly stuck. Impact? • I can literally see what resonated. • The “I will…” notes show behaviour change starting before people even leave the room. • The “I wish…” notes help me evolve each workshop immediately. • And the one-word cloud gives me a pulse check that’s surprisingly accurate. (see word cloud from 10 workshops* - 210 words - in comments) Yes, I still type them all into a spreadsheet by hand (there’s something human and connective about reading people’s handwriting). Then I let AI help me spot themes and patterns. It’s simple. It’s human. It works. And gives clients tangible, meaningful insights... Curious: how do you gather feedback that actually helps you get better? #PlayMore #JudgeLess #feedback #facilitation

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗛𝗥 𝘁𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗲 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀) In my work helping new managers, I've learned that most feedback frameworks miss the point. Here's what I do instead. HR taught me the sandwich method: Compliment → Criticism → Compliment. It felt safe. Professional. Structured. It also didn't work. My team saw right through it. They'd brace for the "but" after every positive comment. Trust eroded. Growth stalled. Then a mentor asked me: "When was the last time a sandwich changed your behavior?" Ouch. So I ditched the script. Started doing something that felt reckless at first. But worked greatly. Here's my approach: ✓ 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 "Help me understand what happened here..." Not: "You messed up when..." ✓ 𝗜 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 "I used to make this exact mistake. Here's what helped..." Not: "You need to improve..." ✓ 𝗜 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁 "What do you think would work better?" Not: "Here's what you should do..." ✓ 𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝟰𝟴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 "How's that new approach working?" Not: Radio silence until the next issue 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁? I stopped treating feedback like an event. Made it as normal as grabbing coffee. Quick observations. Real-time adjustments. Human moments. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱: → People started asking for feedback → Mistakes became learning labs, not shame spirals → Trust replaced the typical manager-employee dance → Performance actually improved (imagine that) Here's the truth HR won't tell you: People don't need your perfect feedback formula. They need to know you're in their corner. That you see their potential. That growth is safe here. The best feedback doesn't feel like feedback at all. It feels like two humans figuring things out together. Because when you stop performing feedback, you start practicing connection. What feedback approach actually creates change on your team? Like and share to help more managers lead with trust, not templates. Follow Jacqueline Ndong for more real-talk leadership insights that actually work.

Too often, offering students feedback is an exercise in compliance. The professor offers feedback, and expects the students to incorporate all of it. (It’s like the professor is giving items on a checklist. The subtext: “do these things and I’ll give you an A.”) But I want my students to think about feedback differently. I want them to be able to cut between different sets of feedback, connecting them to each other and linking them back to their own understanding. With that in mind… Here’s the feedback cycle I’ve designed for my Comp II students at Berkeley. 1️⃣ Self-Assessment Students use their own self-designed rubric to evaluate their own performance. 2️⃣ Peer Assessment Students get feedback and assessment from other students. 3️⃣ Instructor Assessment I’ll offer feedback on the assignment. 4️⃣ AI Assessment Students get feedback from a custom chatbot. I will be incorporating some of Anna Mills’s prompts for the PAIRR framework. 5️⃣ Assessment Assessment (or Reflection) Students apply the different assessments to their own self-assessment. They defend their ultimate edits within the context of their Self-Empowering Writing Process (SEWP).

Stop Collecting Feedback. Start Listening. (7 strategies + 7 myths every builder should know) We say feedback is important, but often treat it like a box to tick. Survey sent. Response logged. Move on. This surface-level approach leads to: ❌ Decision fatigue from noisy or vague input ❌ Overconfidence in the wrong opinions ❌ Missed opportunities to build what people actually need Real feedback is not what’s said. It’s what’s felt beneath the surface. Let’s start by unlearning the myths holding us back. 7 Myths about customer feedback: 1. All feedback is created equal ↳ Not every comment deserves the same weight. Context is everything. 2. The customer always knows best ↳ They know their pain, not always the solution. That’s your job to uncover. 3. More feedback is always better ↳ Quantity creates noise. Insight comes from clarity. 4. Feedback only matters for new products ↳ Every version, especially existing ones, benefits from better listening. 5. Negative feedback is a bad sign ↳ It’s actually a gift: truth, courage, and unmet need wrapped in discomfort. 6. Surveys are the only way to get feedback ↳ Try interviews, polls, prototypes, behavior data. Go beyond forms. 7. Once feedback is gathered, the work is done ↳ Feedback is just the beginning. What you do with it is what counts. Here’s are 7 feedback strategies that work: 1. Host invite-only feedback sessions ↳ Create intentional space with power users or niche audiences. 2. Use the ‘5 Whys’ technique ↳ Peel back the layers until you hit the core issue. 3. Offer a ‘feedback contract’ ↳ Invite early users to co-build, not just critique. 4. Run “break-up” surveys ↳ Ask departing customers why they’re leaving. Truth lives there. 5. Conduct a review blitz ↳ Do a deep dive across reviews to find recurring patterns. 6. Trigger micro-polls during user actions ↳ Ask one sharp question at the right moment. Timing matters. 7. Create a ‘pitch and iterate’ group ↳ Form a test group to rapidly cycle through ideas and input. Don't make feedback noisy, it’s signal. But only if you know how to hear it. ♻️ Repost to help others! -------------------------------------------- Want to qualify for VC funding? Get the free Funding Scorecard from my Featured section.