Roleplay Scenario
Scenario Overview
You’re having a one-on-one with a colleague to talk about their recent work. The aim is to provide feedback that is both specific and helpful, while keeping the conversation supportive and open. You’ll also practice being receptive to their feedback about your own work.
Roles & Setup
Role A – Feedback Giver (You)
You’re sharing your thoughts on recent performance, aiming to be clear and supportive.
Your goal: Offer honest, actionable feedback while keeping the dialogue positive.
Role B – Feedback Receiver
You’re listening to feedback and ready to share your perspective too.
Your goal: Listen openly, ask questions for clarity, and provide feedback if it feels right.
Suggested Openers
Feedback Giver:
- “I’d love to chat about how the last project went and get your thoughts too. Is now a good time?”
- “Let’s review how things went with your recent work. There’s a lot to celebrate and some areas to look at together.”
Feedback Receiver:
- “Sure, I’m all ears. I’d like to hear your perspective.”
- “Sounds good, I’m ready to hear your thoughts and share mine as well.”
Sample Roleplay in Action
Feedback Giver:
“Thanks for meeting with me. I really appreciated the thorough job you did with the data analysis—it was top-notch. However, I noticed we missed a couple of deadlines later on. What do you think happened there?”
Feedback Receiver:
“Thanks for the compliment! Regarding the deadlines, I think I misjudged how long the testing phase would take, and it ended up being a bit rushed.”
Feedback Giver:
“That makes sense, and I appreciate you being upfront. Maybe next time we can build in a bit of extra time for testing. How does that sound to you?”
Feedback Receiver:
“That sounds like a solid plan. I’ll make sure to factor that in next time. Also, any tips on improving my time estimates would be really helpful.”
Feedback Giver:
“Sure thing, we can sit down and work on that together. And if there’s anything I can do to help make priorities clearer, just let me know.”
Feedback Receiver:
“Will do, thanks. By the way, I think having a quick weekly check-in could help us spot these things sooner.”
Feedback Giver:
“Great idea! Let’s set those up. Thanks for being open, and let’s keep the conversation going.”
Post-Scenario Tools
Curveball Mode (Optional)
Add some unpredictability to see how participants handle it:
- The feedback receiver gets unexpectedly emotional.
- The feedback giver realizes they missed acknowledging a key positive point.
- New feedback from another colleague is unexpectedly introduced.
Reflection Checklist
As the Feedback Giver:
- Did you balance honesty with support?
- Did you offer specific and actionable feedback?
- Did you invite feedback about your own role?
As the Feedback Receiver:
- Did you listen actively and ask for clarity?
- Did you show appreciation for the feedback?
- Did you share your own feedback constructively?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Only focusing on negatives without recognizing positives
- Being vague or too general with feedback
- Not encouraging a two-way conversation
Pro Tip
Think of feedback as a team effort. By having an open, two-way conversation, you build trust and create opportunities for everyone to grow and improve.