Jessica Gomez

Therese Huston, a cognitive scientist at Seattle University and author, teams up with Jessica Gomez, an elementary school principal renowned for her feedback strategies. They delve into the nuances of giving feedback, exploring types like appreciation and coaching. Their discussion highlights the importance of trust in tough conversations, particularly for women leaders. They also stress follow-up conversations and proactive communication as keys to fostering growth. With personal anecdotes and practical strategies, they make the art of feedback both accessible and engaging.

This is the first episode in a new series called The Essentials, where we invite women from essential sectors (think health care and education) to join us in interviewing experts on essential career topics (think negotiating and managing stress). In this episode, we tackle giving feedback — something we know is important to being a good manager, somebody people look up to and not just report to. But very few of us actually like to do it. So how can we get better at this critical skill? How can we deliver feedback in a way that motivates a team member rather than demoralizes them? Which pieces of feedback do we prioritize? And how do you make room in your already busy schedule to have these difficult conversations? Amy G is joined by a school principal from Southern California to interview Therese Huston, a social scientist and feedback expert. They talk about three different types of feedback conversations, how to make time to share feedback with team members, and tips for giving feedback remotely. Guests: Jessica Gomez is an elementary school principal in Southern California. Therese Huston is the author of Let’s Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower and the founding director of Seattle University’s Center for Faculty Development. Resources: “We Deserve Better Than ‘Attagirl’” by Women at Work “Research: Men Get More Actionable Feedback Than Women,” by Elena Doldor, et al “Giving Critical Feedback Is Even Harder Remotely,” by Therese Huston “Everything You Need to Know About Giving Negative Feedback,” by Sarah Green Carmichael HBR Guide to Delivering Effective Feedback, by Harvard Business Review Sign up for the Women at Work newsletter. Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org