amples:

Share your observations, the impact, and any requests

Share what you observed with specificity. If this behavior is part of a pattern, share that. However, make sure to check your assumptions! State what you think happened, not judgments about the other person’s motives, mindset, or character (i.e. “You don’t seem to care about this,” “You’re distracted”).

Then, share why it matters to you by being explicit about the impact on you and/or the work. You might also share any concrete requests.

Examples:

Keep this piece brief. This isn’t a trial, and you’re not a prosecutor making your opening statement. The more space you leave to seek the other person’s perspective, the better your feedback will be received.

Ask questions to better understand their perspective

It takes two to CSAW. The conversation isn’t done once you’ve said your piece. Get curious and make space for the other person to share their perspective. Ask questions to help you both gain a better understanding of what’s going on. The key here is to listen with an open mind, without assuming you already know the answers to the questions you’re asking.

Examples to…

Check for alignment on your assessment:

Unearth causes:

Surface solutions:

Wrap up with next steps

Once you’ve both shared your perspectives, you should agree on a set of next steps. This is also the place to share or reiterate specific requests. If you’re aligned about the issue and steps to fix it, this might be super concrete. If not, next steps might be for both people to chew on the conversation and come back together to identify alternatives, a compromise, or a solution. Either way, schedule a time to revisit the conversation.

Examples:

Ready to try it for yourself? Use our CSAW Worksheet and Sample to prepare for your next feedback conversation.

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