Brenda has used a simple exercise in her training: give everyone an orange and ask them to peel it. Soon the room is full of oranges presented in different ways. Some peels stay in one piece. Some are arranged carefully. Some oranges are ready to eat.
Participants look around and describe what they appreciate about one another’s work. The feedback is specific: someone kept the peel intact, someone found a creative way to present it, someone made the orange easy to share.
When Brenda asks people what they might try next time, those who heard specific appreciation often have ideas. They want to build on what worked. Her point is that feedback can give people both encouragement and information they can use.
The exercise also shows that there can be many sound ways to complete the same task. If the outcome is an orange ready to eat, a neat spiral of peel is one approach. Separating the orange into pieces is another. Feedback can notice different strengths without insisting that everyone copy the same method.
Say what worked
“Good job” can be welcome, but it gives a learner little to build on. “You asked a question before offering advice, and that helped the group hear the concern” tells them what to repeat.
Notice the link between the action and its effect. “Your example showed the group how to put the idea into practice” is stronger than “Excellent presentation.” The learner knows which choice helped and why it mattered.
The same principle applies when something needs to improve. Name the part that is working. Then discuss the next step honestly. Positive feedback is most effective when it is genuine, specific, and connected to the work.
For example: “You made the instructions easy to follow. Several people still needed more time for the practice. Where could we shorten the explanation and give them another five minutes?” This is a real improvement conversation. It does not hide the concern inside praise.
Give people room to try again
Learning takes more than hearing a good idea once. People need a chance to practise, hear how it went, and decide what they would do differently. A workshop can make space for that. So can a team meeting, a coaching conversation, or an online course.
In an online course, a learner might choose how to respond to a customer, see what that response could lead to, and try another approach. In a workshop, partners might practise the same conversation and tell each other which words helped. The format changes. The opportunity to act, reflect, and try again remains.
Think about the last time someone learned a new task with you. What did you notice them doing well? Did you tell them? What opportunity did they have to use that information the next time?
One way to start is to ask the learner first: “What do you think went well?” Add what you observed, then ask, “What would you like to change next time?” Their answer may reveal a strength or concern you had not noticed.
For your next practice activity, try this short feedback sequence:
- Ask the learner what they noticed.
- Name one specific action that helped and its effect.
- Discuss one adjustment worth trying.
- Give them another chance to practise.
It is a way to turn feedback into the next part of learning rather than the final word on a performance.
An orange is a small task. The lesson carries into much bigger ones: people learn more when they know what is working and feel invited to keep improving.
Keep Exploring: In Lighten Up for Learning, Brenda shares ideas for bringing curiosity, enjoyment, and participation into learning. See the book.