Daniel's Blog
Feedback as a story
2 min read | Last Updated: August 16, 2020
Storytelling is about all kind of stories. It can be used in interviews, speeches, written media and a lot of other day to day situations. Used for good, can help connect with others, tap into emotions and land the message we are trying to deliver.
COIN (Context, Observation, Impact, Next)
Any formula works, but let’s explain COIN. This method is best used in a timely manner, and always about specifics.
Context: Explain the situation, the background, all specific to provide a point of reference.
During the design meeting yesterday…
Observation: Explain the facts of what happened, being specific about it.
I noticed you cut off Ash twice while they were giving their opinion on the implementation.
Impact: How is this is affecting others or the team, help them understand.
Ash might feel that their opinion doesn’t matter and they might not bother bringing it up next time.
Next: Specific next steps
While we should have efficient meetings, we need to make sure everyone on the team feels heard. Be mindful of not interrupting anyone, especially colleagues not as senior as you.
Storytelling
In its simplest form, a story is a character in pursuit of a goal in the face of some challenge or obstacle.
How the character tries to resolve it drives the narrative. Resolution is implicit.
Unleash the power of storytelling - Rob Biesenbach
Character, goal and challenge - simple.
When giving feedback, we are essentially casting that person into a story. The goal is self-improvement, or taken further, a “redemption” arc. The challenge is the situation and the steps that need to happen.
Written by Daniel Lopez Rovira who likes talking about engineering stuff.