Offering and Receiving Feedback. Webinar with Root Cuthbertson on April 15th
Conflict is a natural part of life. Every group and relationship experiences conflict, regardless of context or background. While some conflicts may feel uncomfortable, not all conflicts have to be negative. Many conflicts can have positive or generative possibilities. Conflict can be rewarding, educational, collaborative, and contribute to positive inner transitions in both individuals and relationships. This may involve re-framing conflict as a beneficial learning experience, rather than something to fear. A lot of this has to do with how we offer and receive feedback.
Feedback is a natural and common form of communication aiming to convey information that will ideally lead to desirable outcomes or changes in behaviour. Feedback provides information about impacts arising from activities and behaviours within any system. It can be a simple and straightforward communication about how an individual's actions are impacting on others. This can help individuals to learn and grow, improving how individuals show up in a group. And it can also help groups to more effectively work together and deliver whatever they are aiming to do.
By transitioning towards 'feedback culture' groups can normalise feedback. This can involve developing group agreements around feedback: like using compassionate language, ensuring that emotional charges are absent, or giving feedback little and often (not letting it build up). Learning feedback etiquette is also helpful and may include: starting feedback with an appreciation, ensuring it is a good time to give feedback, or being willing to make time and space for receiving feedback.
Join us on April 15th session!
During this session, Root Cuthbertson aims to help individuals to more skillfully offer constructive feedback, and make the most of any feedback they receive.
Facilitated by Root Cuthbertson
Root designs experiential opportunities for learning by creating strong containers for the graceful facilitation of group energy. He holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Education, and certificates in Sustainable Curriculum Design, Participatory Facilitation, and Ecopsychology. He has co-led short courses on regenerative cultures and cultural mentoring for Schumacher College, Findhorn College the ALT program in Thailand, and is a certified trainer in Gaia Education eco-social design. With his wife Deborah Benham, he has delivered trainings on Sociocracy, Designing for Peace, Positive Leadership, Social Entrepreneurship, and Culture Repair.
He is part of several teams offering weekend programs introducing 8 Shields, and the 8 Shields Institute online courses: “Introduction to Regenerative Community Building,” and "Pathways to Village Building." With Jon Young and Deborah, he is co-authoring a book on regenerative community design.
He has been the Training Coordinator for Transition Network, accompanying an international community of practice to offer learning opportunities and skillshares for facilitating community engagement.
He is the co-author and curator of Transition collections on Personal Resilience, Conflict Resilience, Group Culture, and Social Justice. With his ear to the ground, Root’s guiding question is: “What is most needed here now?”
Diving deeper
You can use the below resources to become more skilled at this. Explore them at your own leisure, before or after checking out the workshop.
- Join the Conflict Resilience Webinar series (March-July 2024)
- Use our guide on 'Offering and receiving feedback'
- Read Root's inquiry into Re-Framing Conflict
- Delve into Transition's Conflict Resilience Collection
This post has been written by Root Cuthbertson and curated by ITC team. Thank you all!
