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Moving From Feedback to Feedforward

Britt Konnander


As a management consultant, one of the most important aspects of our work is providing feedback to our clients. Feedback is essential for helping individuals and organizations identify their strengths and weaknesses, and for improving their performance. However, feedback alone is not enough to drive sustainable change. That's where feedforward comes in.


Feedforward focuses on offering suggestions and ideas for future improvement, rather than dwelling on past mistakes. Instead of pointing out what went wrong, feedforward helps individuals and organizations identify what they can do differently in the future to achieve their goals.


The benefits of feedforward are clear.


🍀First, it shifts the focus from the past to the future. This creates a positive and forward-looking mindset that encourages individuals and organizations to think about what they can do to improve, rather than dwelling on their shortcomings. This can be particularly useful in situations where negative feedback can be demotivating or even damaging to morale.


🍀Second, feedforward promotes a culture of continuous improvement. By focusing on future actions rather than past mistakes, individuals and organizations can identify opportunities for growth and development. This can help them build new skills, improve processes, and innovate in ways that can lead to long-term success.


🍀Finally, feedforward is more actionable than feedback. Because it focuses on future actions, it provides individuals and organizations with clear and specific steps they can take to improve. This can help them implement changes more effectively and make progress towards their goals.



Implementing feedforward in your organization requires a shift in mindset and approach. Here are some tips to get started:


➡️ Focus on the future: When working with your clients or employees shift the conversation from what went wrong in the past to what they can do differently in the future. Ask questions that encourage them to think about their goals and how they can achieve them.


➡️ Be specific: Provide clear and actionable suggestions for improvement. Avoid vague or generic feedback that doesn't offer any real guidance for how to improve.


➡️ Encourage experimentation: Encourage your clients or employees to try new things and experiment with different approaches. This can help them identify what works best for them and their organization.


➡️Celebrate successes: When your clients or employees make progress towards their goals, celebrate their successes. This can help reinforce positive behaviors and create a culture of continuous improvement.


By shifting the focus from the past to the future, providing specific feedback, encouraging experimentation, and celebrating successes, you can help your clients achieve their goals and build a culture of continuous improvement.


So, next time you're working with a client or employees consider using feedforward to help them move forward towards success.

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