We all know that we need honest feedback to improve and grow. Lavishing praise on people all the time doesn’t help them. But we also know that it can be difficult to give honest feedback without creating a toxic environment and shutting the creative juices of those you are trying to help altogether. Plussing is an idea that makes giving feedback a little easier.
Plussing is a technique that allows people to build and improve on ideas without using harsh or judgmental language. It was first promoted by Walt Disney and later the Pixar animation studios.
It can be used when working in teams and on the ideas of others. However, it also works well on individual ideas when you are a vocal self-critic.
With plussing, you find what’s good about an idea, then make subtle suggestions and build on the good things that are already there, making it even better by adding continuous improvement.
If a subordinate comes up with a design or proposal, instead of saying “no” or pointing the faults, You may say, “I like the way this part looks. What if we tweaked it a little more to the left?”
Plussing encourages using words like “and”, and “what if” instead of “but”. Instead of subtracting, you do plussing.
You can use plussing when collaborating with your classmates, friends, family members, and any other type of team member.
For more on plussing, read the following articles.
www.nytimes.com/2013/04/06/your-money/how-to-give-effective-feedback-both-positive-and-negative.html?_r=1
engineering.aweber.com/plussing-learning-and-working-in-a-collaborative-environment/
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