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Facilitator Guide

Giving Feedback

What’s covered

  • Building a feedback culture
  • Structuring your feedback
  • Making feedback actionable
  • Common pitfalls to avoid
  • Navigating emotions

Before the session

Prepare the Attendees

Send the attendees an invitation for the session. Include this link, which has the videos and exercise they’ll need to prepare.

https://www.hotshotlegal.com/discussions/giving-feedback/attendee

Prepare Yourself

Watch the videos and read the exercise so you’re familiar with the Hotshot material.

  • still frame from Giving Feedback

    Course

    Giving Feedback

    Teaches how to deliver timely, specific, and actionable feedback that helps others improve while also building trust—whether you're a midlevel supervising a junior, a junior delegating to a summer, or a team member working with professional staff.

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    Exercise

    PDF

During the session

Part 1: Knowledge Check
 
Ask attendees these questions to ensure they understand the topic: 
  • Why is it important to make feedback routine rather than saving it for formal reviews or major mistakes?
  • What are a few practical ways to set expectations for feedback early in a working relationship?
  • What makes feedback timely?
  • What are some common phrasing mistakes that can derail feedback conversations?
  • What’s a good structure for delivering feedback?
  • After giving feedback, what follow-up steps help make it stick and support improvement over time?
 
 
Part 2: Group Exercise
 
Lead a group discussion based on the exercise. To encourage collaboration, divide the attendees into groups to discuss the exercise, then have a representative from each group summarize their views to the larger group. Call on people to share their thoughts and ask others to respond.
 
Tip for remote sessions: use your web conferencing system’s breakout room feature to divide people into groups.
 
Part 3: Firm Specifics
 
Share your own experiences and guidance, including:
  • Anecdotes 
  • General practice tips (dos and don’ts)
  • Firm-specific guidance and practices

After the session

To continue learning, attendees can check out related courses in Hotshot’s Professionalism & Communication topic.