Feedback Compass

Feedback at Doist and how it enables authentic conversations

Our Feedback Compass is designed to help navigate honest conversations, guiding through the method of Radical Candor to impactful growth, personal development and meaningful outcomes.

In alignment with our Communication standards & guidelines, we use radical candor at Doist. To learn more about it, read this ~6min summary. 

Why feedback matters

Feedback is essential for everyone's growth and improvement. By giving and receiving feedback effectively, we gain clarity on what's working well and what we can do better. This aligns with our Mastery Value—we're not chasing perfection, we are committed to continuous growth and development. Meaningful feedback aids development in our roles, advances our careers, and improves Doist as a company. It's therefore an expectation that all Doisters invest in giving and receiving feedback.

Key characteristics of effective feedback

  • Make feedback actionable & respectful: Feedback should be delivered with a genuine desire to help, this feedback offers clear, realistic suggestions for growth, always considering how to best support the individual.

    • Instead of (Vague; disrespectful): "Your updates are disorganized and hard to follow."

    • Use (Actionable; respectful): “I really appreciate the effort you invested in preparing your Twist update/ communication. In the future, consider starting the post with a summary of the key decision or outcome. That will help the team quickly grasp the main point even before diving into the details.”

  • Feedback should be specific: Focuses on particular behaviors or actions, not generalizations to ensure it's clear what can improve.

    • Instead of (General): "You need to communicate more about your blockers."

    • Use (Specific): "Hey, I appreciate you tackling the user notification feature. I noticed there were blockers progressing the feature, but it wasn’t clear to the team until this week’s snippet. In the future, if you experience a significant blocker or the task is taking longer than expected, could you please drop a quick note in the squad’s Twist channel or update the GitHub issue? This helps identify roadblocks sooner and offer support. If you would like to brainstorm ways of making this easier, I’m happy to chat".

  • Feedback should be timely: Don’t let feedback pile up, it creates a really bad experience for everyone when feedback is stalled or becomes overwhelming and can result in frustrating outcomes for everyone involved. Feedback should be delivered as close to the event as possible, allowing for reflection, context and prompt remediation. Don't delay feedback, as it hinders recall and can cause frustration from all parties involved. 

    • Instead of (Delayed): "I was thinking back to that team update you gave last month..."

    • Use (Timely): "I just finished reviewing your recorded loom from this morning’s sync meeting. I have the following thoughts on it:

      • Feedback 1

      • Feedback 2

      • Feedback 3 and if you have any questions I’m happy to meet later this week to discuss or expand on them async. Please let me know".

  • Feedback should be objective: Based on observable facts, not assumptions, emotions, or personal attacks. Focus on behavior, performance, impact, or core values. We are a diverse, inclusive and globally distributed organisation, that intentionally shaped our environment with many different cultures, characteristics and personalities.

    • Instead of (Subjective): "You seemed unfocused during the call today and it seemed like you didn’t care about the discussion."

    • Use (Objective): “During the call today, I noticed that you didn’t participate in the discussion and I was hoping you would provide your perspective and expertise. Is there any reason you didn’t participate?”

  • Make space for both positive and constructive feedback: it won’t necessarily always happen at the same time, but its important that you don’t only share either positive or negative feedback with the same person. Positive reinforcement is as important as developmental feedback. When things are running smoothly, feedback helps us work more efficiently and builds a stronger foundation that will carry us through any difficult conversations or more constructive discussions ahead.

    • Instead of (Unbalanced): "Your handbook contributions are amazing!"

    • Use (Balanced): "I really appreciate how consistently you've been documenting our new feature workflows in the handbook – that proactive effort is a huge help for onboarding new hires. To make those entries even more accessible, consider breaking down particularly dense sections into smaller, more digestible paragraphs or using bullet points for key steps. One section that would benefit from this is “General Guidelines at the beginning”. What do you think about that approach?"

  • Feedback should be descriptive, not evaluative: Describes what happened rather than judging it. Avoid personal attacks or character assessments. 

    • Instead of (Evaluative): "You're constantly late with your project updates, which makes it impossible for us to track progress. You're disorganized."

    • Use (Descriptive): "I noticed your squad snippets were posted on Wednesday this week, instead of our usual Monday. As a result, the team wasn't able to review the latest blockers before our Tuesday check-in. Please can you add your snippets on a Monday each week? Let me know if there is something blocking you from not posting it on a Monday”.



How to give effective feedback 

Giving feedback is an act of care and support for another Doister's Mastery. Especially in the case of difficult feedback, this works best with preparation and a thoughtful approach. Here are some key steps, inspired by the Radical Candor playbook, for navigating feedback conversations, aligning with our value of Independence by taking ownership of clear, growth-oriented communication.

  1. Write It Down: Before you talk, get your thoughts clear by writing down the specific feedback and what you hope to achieve from the conversation. This helps keep your message focused. Consider using the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) Model to help frame your feedback:

    1. Situation: Describe when and where the behavior occurred.

    2. Behavior: Describe the specific, observable action or words used.

    3. Impact: Explain the consequence of that behavior on you, the team, the project, or others.


  2. Practice: Plan what you're going to say and rehearse it on your own, or with a member of the people team, especially if it is a more serious or sensitive matter. Saying it out loud helps you refine your message and ensures it's clear, especially when the feedback is difficult to deliver.


  3. Be Kind and Clear: Approach the conversation with empathy and respect. Focus on what you observed and its impact, not on someone's personality. Make time to share the feedback async as soon as possible. For sensitive or highly constructive feedback, for the best results, aim to give feedback in a sync call. First, reach out to the Doister by communicating that you’d like to set up a call to discuss feedback and share an agenda up front, to ensure the Doister does not feel caught off guard. Celebrate positive contributions publicly and address constructive feedback privately.


  4. Don’t Worry About Having all the Answers: It’s not your job to solve the whole problem. Instead, offer to work with the other person to find solutions and suggest resources that could help them improve.


  5. Carefully Assess Emotions: Emotions can impact how feedback is delivered and received. 

    1. Your Emotions First: If you're feeling angry, frustrated, or emotional, pause. Give yourself time to cool down and approach the conversation from a place of calm and support.

    2. Anticipate Theirs: Be ready for the recipient to react emotionally, perhaps with defensiveness, sadness, or frustration. How you respond to their emotions is just as important as the feedback itself.

Giving Upward Feedback

Giving feedback to your leader or another member of the leadership team can feel daunting, but at Doist, it’s a key part of our Mastery value. Leaders need your perspective to understand how their decisions and leadership style impact the team and company.

How to give feedback in specific scenarios

To ensure every Doister feels enabled and empowered on how and when to give feedback, the following scenarios are examples of how and when to take action: 

When something truly goes well (reinforcing feedback)

When a Doister goes above and beyond, achieves a goal early, or exemplifies Doist Values, celebrating their contribution reinforces their behavior and provides an example for others to learn from.

How to Share:

  • Public Recognition: Immediately jump into your #Doister Thanks channel in Twist to publicly thank them. This creates company-wide awareness and celebrates their achievement openly. Intentionally, tag their Lead or Head. This creates valuable visibility of the recognition you provide, for incase its missed in the sea of other threads.

  • Inform Their Leader: In the event that recognition can’t be in the public thanks channel and more sensitive in nature, its crucial to include their Lead, Head, or Squad Lead in your private feedback via a shared DM. This provides context to those who might not have noticed the positive contribution, ensuring their efforts are recognized by their leadership.

When something is slightly concerning (timely redirecting feedback)

If you notice a minor concern or something that could be improved, don't wait for a formal meeting or a retrospective. Address it promptly.

How to Share:

  • Direct & Private:The best approach to providing feedback is a 1:1 sync conversation as soon as possible. If you can’t sync right away, or timezones make this impractical, there is also the option of an async 1:1 feedback via Twist or doc. The important part is providing the feedback in a caring and timely manner. 

  • Focus on Specifics: Use a specific example of what you felt could improve or was concerning. Frame it as an observation and an offer of support.

    • e.g., "Hi there, I noticed you recently missed this deadline for our squad. I’d like to check in to see if there is anything I can do to support you in delivering within the deadlines we set? Let me know if there is any context I might not have, so I can work with you on our shared goal."

  • Your Role: This type of feedback is about offering help and understanding, not just pointing out a mistake.

When an issue escalates (leader involvement & remediation)

If initial feedback hasn't led to improvement, or if multiple deadlines/goals are being missed, it's time to involve the Doister's Lead or Head.

How to Share:

  • Private & Direct with Leader: Share this feedback in a kind and direct DM with the Doister’s Manager (Lead or Head). This conversation is private, timely, and urgent.

  • Maintain Confidentiality: Never discuss a Doister’s performance with an entire group or other Doisters. We deeply care about remediation and giving individuals the opportunity to course-correct. There might be context you don't have, so entrust this feedback to the Doister’s leader.

  • Provide Context & Seek Support: Share your observations and their impact, emphasizing that you're seeking their support to help the Doister.

    • e.g., "Hi [Doister’s Lead/Head], I’ve been observing that [Doister’s name] has not been able to meet any of the deadlines we set for [squad or project or task]. This has had a few negative side-effects within the Squad. I’d like to share examples of this with you to ensure they receive meaningful feedback and the necessary support they might require to unblock them. I don’t have all the context as to why these have been missed, but after providing feedback previously, unfortunately, this has not improved, and I need your support with this."



How to receive feedback

You might not always expect the feedback you get, after asking for feedback. It's vital to keep an open mind and take enough time to process feedback. Some constructive feedback can be really hard to hear and process, we therefore suggest that all feedback should be taken with the opportunity to learn and grow. The number one competency to use, when receiving feedback, is Active Listening. 

Cultivating a receptive mindset

  • Assume positive intent: Feedback is given to help you or the team.

    • Always assume: this person is trying to help me grow and develop. Never take feedback for granted. You have not failed, you are learning and growing, alongside many other Doisters. Every single one of us will continue to have developmental areas. If you have any concerns with the feedback, soundboard your observations with your Lead or Head. If you continue to struggle with the feedback you received or need additional support, don’t hesitate to reach out to the People Team for some coaching or further sound-boarding support.

  • Stay calm and open minded: Not react immediately.

    • When you receive feedback, give yourself a moment. Let it settle for a day or so. This pause helps clear your head and makes it easier to understand, rather than react, before you have had time to process it and think through it. From there onwards, don’t hesitate to ask clarifying questions or ask for help to improve.

  • Seek clarification: Understand the specific behavior and its impact.

    • It's hard to always agree with all the feedback you’ll receive during your entire career journey at Doist, but staying misaligned might lead to longer term unnecessary conflict or negative outcomes. Sometimes, you’ll need to disagree and commit and other times, it's important to prepare context that might’ve been missing for the person sharing the feedback with you. If you plan to push back, make time for a sync discussion and discuss it transparently, to help create a shared clear understanding of all the elements surrounding the topic. 

    • Not all feedback will feel valuable or actionable, if you find it hard to act on the feedback, consider discussing it with your Lead or Head. Also consider utilising your growth budget to sign up for webinars, podcasts, books, a talk, audio book, skills development training or coaching sessions (this list can really include any type of learning/ development), to work on these developmental areas. 

    • You might also want to elevate the areas that are really going well, don’t leave those out, work towards the next level in your own career journey, and help elevate those positive areas even further, through coaching, books, podcasts, digital or IRL training. 

  • Collaborate on solutions: Work with the feedback giver to find effective ways to improve.

    • Focus on Identifying a potential tool or resource solution, ask for guidance/training, and show the willingness to invest in your own development for the benefit of the team.

    • Once you have had time to process the feedback, it is always ok to ask for help when coming up with a concrete action plan from either the feedback giver, your lead, head, a member of CXO or the people team. 

    • Reach out for coaching from the Head of People, if you don't know where to start and feeling overwhelmed.  

  • Focus on action and embrace a growth mindset: Shift from "why this is wrong" to "how can I make this better”.

    • We know this part is hard. Receiving feedback is much harder than giving feedback, therefore intentionally switching to a mindset that allows you to focus on how you can improve things, will directly impact the outcome of this feedback and your ability to learn and grow through it. 

    • Focus on ways to improve and avoid dismissing feedback instantly, lean into assuming positive intent and take time to process the feedback and find actionable and impactful ways to improve.

      • Instead of (dismissive): "I'm already swamped, I don't have time to send constant updates. Everyone knows what I'm working on, I'm doing my job."

      • Use (Assuming Positive Intent & Processing): "Thanks for bringing that up. I hear you saying that updates from me could be clearer or more frequent. Can you give me an example of a recent situation where you felt a communication gap, so I can understand the impact better?"

Making feedback a habit

Feedback is a continuous loop. The more we practice giving and receiving it effectively, the more comfortable and skilled we become. Doisters should receive and give feedback before a Performance Review Cycle. None of the feedback during a Performance Review Cycle should be a surprise, this is why it's vital that we all make it a habit regularly to give and receive feedback. 

Each Doister carries with them a unique combination of talents and skills. We believe that the development and application of those talents and skills, across Doist, will continue to be what sets us apart as we build the future we want to work in. We want to help you build your skills, and we want you to continue to share them with us.

We are building a legendary company and therefore shaping a legendary team and legendary teams seek opportunities to continue to grow, learn and evolve, in alignment with the company’s mission and goals, as well as how the company evolves. 


Piloting Bob’s Feedback Feature

We are currently piloting Bob’s feedback feature with the Backend and CX team’s under their “Talent” section.

Herewith the Loom guideline on on how to go about feedback. If you have any feedback or questions about this process, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Head of People or People Business Partner.

Additional Helpful Resources