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Overview
The SKS (Stop Keep Doing Start) Process is the formal
name for a short set of questions that you can use when
you ask for feedback. The questions are simple:
Tip 1:
Stop Keep Doing Start was initially devised as a way of
requesting help and feedback. However, you can also use it
when giving feedback
.
Tip 2:
The process works best when the questions are asked
orally: It's not intended to replace more formal feedback
processes, such as performance reviews.
Tip:
Key Points
You can use this tool to ask for feedback about your own
work. However, it's also useful when giving feedback to
someone else, or for enhancing a mentoring or coaching
relationship.
This site teaches you the skills you need for a happy and
successful career; and this is just one of many tools and
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Thomas
J. DeLongfor Effective Feedback
Three
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specificity of knowing what we should quit, continue, and start doing anchors
us in reality.
Asking others for feedback using SKS can be important to professional
growth. I urge you to tell your support people about the SKS process. Ask
them to evaluate you using SKS regularly and hold you accountable for what
they list. Its a simple tool, but a highly effective one. Too often, we may tell
ourselves that we have to quit being such a micromanager (for instance), but
our resolve to stop micromanaging gets lost in the activity of daily events. By
having your support team respond to three simple questions, invaluable
feedback can be obtained. The questions are:
1. What should I stop doing?
2. What should I keep doing?
3. What should I start doing?
The SKS also counteracts our tendency to avoid seeking out other peoples
opinions of our attitudes and behaviors. When you are feeling the worst
about yourself, you dont ask for more feedback. You dont want to know. You
use the excuse that you are already being tough on yourself, so you dont
need anyone else to be harsh. This rationale creates a vicious cycle where
there is no need for you to learn of other views or ask for help. If you dont
hear the hard truth from others, you dont have to acknowledge that its real.
The SKS process breaks the hold our illusions have on us.
When you have your support people do an SKS, use the following questions
to help you identify the behaviors that are keeping you stuck and the
behaviors that will help you move in new directions:
Stop
Keep
Are you hearing that you should quit doing something that you feel is a skill
or strength?
Is your first response that quitting this behavior will have catastrophic
consequences?
On reflection, is it possible that youve fallen into a behavioral rut? If you stop
doing one thing, might you have an opportunity to try something new and
different?
Is there something youre doing right that people feel you should do more of?
Have you been dismissive of this particular behavior or skill for some reason?
What might happen if you used this keep more? How might it impact your
effectiveness and satisfaction with your job?
Start
GIVING FEEDBACK
UP NEXT IN COMMUNICATION
Feedback That Works
Cynthia M. Phoel
Amy Gallo
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(December 2012). This simple technique will help you identify things that are important to you on a
personal, business and/or professional level.
Start
Think about the actions you might start taking that can increase the efficiency of your company. You
can turn your dreams into measurable achievementsbut, you must start. Whether with a personal
or corporate focus, this step works.
For example, if you want to enhance your communication efforts, go for it. If your employer needs a
corporate culture rejuvenation, start activities that might influence this important condition.
Author Russakoff describes a good example of a CEO who believes her key client relationships need
some attention. She began devoting two days each month to personal visits to client focus groups.
Accompanied by the sales director and COO, the CEO asked each client the same questions.
Keep
Recognize, identify and continue policies and procedures that strengthen your companys
operations, brand and positive pattern recognition. Perform the same keep exercise and ask
yourself, What am I doing that generates a powerful impact on company efficiency?"
If youre unsure of the answer, ask your customers and clients, gather your team for regular progress
meetings and/or consider implementing employee satisfaction surveys to get valuable feedback.
When you identify the positive, effective things youre doing for your employer and yourself, commit
to keeping these features as part of your management repertoire.
For example, if youve instituted a successful employee recognition policy, keep or expand it. You
might want to recognize both the winning employee and the person who nominates him/her for the
award. To cement your personal connection, you might want to present the awards to both parties
yourself, emphasizing your personal commitment to your staff and enhancing your personal brand.
Stop
Most successful executives act decisively when spotting negative actions or patterns in the
workplace. Are there frustrating workplace behaviors you witness that never seem to go away? Is
your corporate culture advancing the company or holding it back?
Stop negative actions as soon as you confirm they exist. You have the power and the responsibility to
do so. When you notice ineffective procedures or systems, failing communications, lack of budget
control or poor staff time management, stop these patterns.
Stops can be just as effective as starts and keeps. In most situations, the timing of your stop actions
is just as important as the action itself. For example, if you learn of undisciplined buying or
spending habits of some staff, invoke an executive stop action right away. Delaying action will only
cost the company more unnecessary expenses in real dollars.
The Start-Keep-Stop technique is simple and straightforward. It does require that you take an
objective inventory of your companys strengths and weaknesses, as well as your own. Mr. Russakoff
believes this technique may rock your world. If it does, your career and your company will reap
many rewards.
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505143_162-57559862/an-exercise-that-will-rockyour-world/?tag=nl.e713&s_cid=e713