Feedback Style: Silent But Deadly

Attributes of a Silent But Deadly

Procrastinator – Disruptive – Rigid – Prideful – Finisher – Expert – Stodgy – Dictating

Who Is A Silent But Deadly

A snake in the grass is never welcome. This sneaky review style waits until the last minute to strike and give you tons of feedback. The snake can derail projects near the deadline or add extra work when the creator thinks it’s close to completion.

The Silent but Deadly reviewer often doesn’t say anything and then ruins everything at the end. No matter how much the creator manages up, they blow everything and only let their perfect content pass through.

My Silent but Deadly reviewers are not paying attention to the creative process. They pass through early rounds of edits with few changes or feedback. They wait for the process to be “done” before adding what they think about a product.

This style of feedback is very problematic for the creative process. Giving feedback early in the creative process lets the team polish an idea to greatness. Blowing it up at the end, on the other hand, adds more time to the process and opens the product up to errors.

As Harriet Tubman said, “Never wound a snake; kill it.”

What To Do If You're A Silent But Deadly

You’ve fought hard to gain your leadership, and the pride in your work is evident. It took a lot to get here. Be proud of your accomplishments. You’ve done a great job getting here.

But as you worked so hard to get here, it took collaboration with many people. You’ve had tough coaches and leaders who shaped you into who you are today. It’s now your turn to share your expertise with your team.

Get involved in the creative process. Being part of production at the start will help your team better align with the vision you want them to execute.
Be present and make time to be part of every review point before the product goes out the door, not just at the last one.
Be vocal at meetings and in review when you are asked to join.
Encourage the ideas you like to see! Tell the creatives what you want to see more of in the future.
Put less of yourself in the idea. Learn to temper your input and learn to be additive to ideas.

Remember that adding your contributions at the end undermines all the collaborative work done before that point. You are not adding your thoughts to the mix. You are putting your ideas on the top.

You are an essential asset to your team and organization. Your experience is precious. You need to share it more freely and enjoy the process of collaboration. Being kind is being present. Be there to support your team’s hard work every step of the way.

How To Stop Being a Silent But Deadly

Get involved in the creative process.
Be vocal early and often about what you want in an idea.
Encourage the ideas you like to see!
Your experience is precious; add it at the appropriate stage.

Acceptance of your Feedback Style is the first step to creating a kind workplace. Great job!

Now the real work begins. Order your copy of Kindly Review to learn how to unleash the creative power of your team. Learn all the Feedback Styles, and get a step-by-step process to complete your creative work in just 2 rounds of feedback. For real. It’s powerful stuff.

Being Kind Boss is the key to increased productivity and greater employee satisfaction. Kindly Review will get you the skills to lead with kindness.