same words, different experience

Jun 10

“This is a great start, but…”

Do you dread hearing those words from your manager? I certainly used to. Whether I was pulling together slides for a high-stakes client presentation or making a first pass at an analysis I’d never done before, those six words always sank my heart. While my leader was on their way to giving me some feedback that may have been constructive, all I heard was “this isn’t good enough.”

My name is Ryan, and for my first storytelling with data (SWD) blog post I’m collaborating with my new colleague, Alli Torban, to share insights into how to reframe your thinking when entering a feedback-rich environment like the one we foster at SWD.

After joining the team, we both had a bit of a wake-up call. On our very first day, we were asked to introduce ourselves to the team at our weekly virtual team meeting. Then we spent the rest of the week practicing our intros and incorporating feedback from the team. This is standard practice here, and it didn’t take long for this culture to start changing how we think about feedback.

As we began to internalize and embrace this environment, we noticed we were starting to hear feedback differently than we had before SWD. The shift in perspective is small, but it shows how the same words can land very differently depending on the surrounding context. Here are a few examples:

“Can you share an early version?”

Before joining SWD: “It’s too soon, they’ll judge my incomplete work.”

After joining SWD: “Perfect timing to get direction and practice!”

In a prior role, I felt overwhelmed with work. I would hurry through a project to meet a deadline, only to have another looming around the corner. One bad habit I developed was waiting until a project was nearly complete to request feedback. Often I would ask for thoughts shortly before a deadline.

This created lose-lose situations: either my feedback provider would feel cornered into avoiding any true constructive criticism, or they’d be honest and recommend many changes at the 11th hour. The latter was tough, as I would need to stay late at the office making major edits to meet the deadline.

During our eight-week onboarding program at SWD, I shared my work-in-progress introduction to my peers. Instead of calling it incomplete, or telling me it needed work, they chimed in with praise and edits each step of the way. Their input guided me as I honed my verbal intro into its best version, long before I internalized early drafts.

Lesson learned: Now, I ask for feedback early and often, and I’ll jump at an offer from a colleague to review my early work.

If I don’t get the chance to connect with my feedback group until closer to the deadline, I make a point of that in the request. Questions like the following are better suited for feedback later in the creative process:

“Are there any glaring problems that need to be addressed?”
“I only have time for word choice, and other light edits, do you have any suggestions within that scope?”
“If you only had an hour to make changes, what would you prioritize?”

“This is a great start, but…”

Before joining SWD: “My work is not good enough.”

After joining SWD: “Nice—I’m on the right track!”

Alli shared with me a great story about this classic feedback opener:

Early in my career, I had a more seasoned colleague who would start his feedback with, “This is a great start…” and then change everything I had done. His comment was meant to be kind, but I came to hear that phrase as shorthand for, “let me do it.”

At SWD, the culture is iterative, honest, and still kind. For a recent client chart makeover, I shared my in-progress files with Amy, and she told me it was a great start. I braced for a fully redone version. Instead, she sent a file full of comments, and she gave me agency to make those changes in my own way. It wasn’t a prescriptive list of edits. She truly meant it was a great start, and with guidance, my next iteration would move closer to the final product.

Lesson learned: In a culture where feedback is part of the process, “great start” can actually mean trust: trust that you’re capable of taking it the rest of the way. Now when you hear “great start” think of it as an invitation to iterate, not a cue to step aside.

A device that helped Alli to hear those words in a new light is a classic improv game called “bad gifts.” To hear her and Cole talk more about this, check out episode 99 of the SWD podcast where they practice the game together, and share additional insights on being a better recipient of input from others.

“What feedback are you looking for?”

Before joining SWD: “Uh oh, they are too busy to give me all the notes they have.”

After joining SWD: “Great, I can guide the conversation.”

As soon as we started the lessons on feedback at SWD, I was brought back to the dozens of times I cast too wide a net when inviting critique. I’d send an in-progress project to a peer or manager and ask “any thoughts?” or simply say “please review when you have a chance.” All I ever got back in response was generic answers: “great work,” “it’s missing something,” and/or “cut it down.”

I left those requests with more questions than answers. If it's great, should I change anything? What is it missing? Do I need to cut a slide? How can it be too long, missing something, and great all at the same time?

At SWD, asking specific questions as a part of the input cycle helps me to realize what I’m asking for. Clear-cut questions also point my colleagues in a direction that gives them the confidence that their commentary will be helpful to me. When I ask Simon “Before I deliver my intro, can you let me know if you think it’s too long?”, that’s his cue to look out for sections to trim as he listens.

Lesson learned: before I request feedback, I make a short list of questions for my feedback-giver. This forces me to critically assess aspects of my in-progress work and to prioritize my needs in a way that ensures I’ll get the productive edits I’m seeking.