Guided group feedback leverages the collective experiences and knowledge of a group. This guide will outline three key phases—clarification, qualification, and acknowledgment—to help you organize and manage large discussions effectively.
The Benefits of Implementing Collaborative Feedback?
How can we improve a team’s overall task performance while boosting their well-being? Guided group feedback provides a straightforward and effective dialogue structure that achieves both objectives.
Guided feedback fosters a robust culture of learning and collaboration, where teams exchange knowledge, address challenges, and improve their collective professional practices. The goal is to enhance the group’s performance by providing valuable tools and experiences to team members who can benefit from them.
This type of team dialogue is a structured conversation process that engages every team member. The discussion begins when a colleague presents a specific challenge or problem to address. The role of the other team members is to contribute by asking questions, sharing their experiences, knowledge, and offering advice. Every individual in the group is given the opportunity to contribute and have their voice heard.
The process consists of three phases: clarification, qualification, and acknowledgment. The group leader is responsible for maintaining the structure and managing the timeframe. Below is an outline of the process for each phase:
The Phase of Clarification
The purpose of the clarification phase is to gain a clear understanding of the context: what the problem is and who it impacts. The process leader helps guide the individual presenting the problem, ensuring they are specific about what kind of help they need. Some questions that can be asked during this phase include:
Here are some questions that can be asked during the clarification phase:
- What can you tell us about the challenge you’re facing?
- What specifically would you like the group’s help with?
- Why is this challenge important?
- What would you like to be able to achieve after addressing this?
- How does this relate to the organization’s goals?
The group is then encouraged to ask any additional clarifying questions as needed. The phase concludes when the team formulates a single, clear question that succinctly expresses the team member’s challenge and what needs to be resolved. This question is then written down in a visible location so it can be referred to throughout the entire process.
The Phase of Qualification
At this stage, the rest of the team is invited to share their knowledge and experiences to help the individual find an answer to their question.
During this phase, the person who presented the problem takes notes on the input they find most inspiring and helpful. Questions that can be useful at this stage include:
Here are some questions that can be helpful during this phase:
- What has inspired you from what you’ve heard from the group?
- What has been useful, and what would you like to learn more about?
- Who can assist you moving forward?
- What is the first thing you will do?
The phase concludes when the individual formulates the next steps and identifies specific actions required to move forward with the task.
The Phase of Acknowledgment
The purpose of this final phase is to acknowledge and appreciate the individual who presented the initial problem, recognizing their trust in the team and the opportunity they’ve created for collective learning. Questions that are helpful to ask the rest of the team during this phase include:
Here are some questions that can be helpful during this phase:
- What part of this process stood out to you?
- What has this process inspired you to do in your own work?
- What does this process reveal about what this person values in their work, their strengths, and their priorities?
The acknowledgment round concludes with the individual briefly sharing their experience of participating in the process and reflecting on their challenge. This marks the end of the guided group discussion, which can then be followed by a summary of key learnings and themes for the group to take away.
Give It a Try
Have you ever participated in a guided group feedback session like this? If so, how was your experience? If not, could it be beneficial to try it with your team? Many people who use this structured conversation process find it especially helpful for gaining fresh perspectives and receiving support when it’s most needed and appreciated.