Austin Improv

I struggle with both giving and receiving feedback. I want honesty when I get feedback from those I play with, without a doubt. However, I get in this weird place for a bit after I get it. This may be just me being weird, but I can't help but think others struggle with this as well. Everytime I am given a note I have grown tremendously from it, just want to receive it in a way that makes those giving it more comfortable, and if I honest make me more comfortably too. Hope that all makes sense.

I also suck at giving feedback. Basically I want to know how guys handle it.

Thanks,
Gloria

Remember it is not at all personal. That's step one. We're talking about the work.

No one better ever give me a note... Because I've already given it to myself...

Chuy! wrote:No one better ever give me a note... Because I've already given it to myself...

And to everyone else in the bar.

Anyway, on the subject of feedback... Gloria, I'm curious about one thing you said. You wonder how "guys" handle it; did you mean to say "you guys," or do you really mean that it seems like males are better at giving feedback?

I only ever benefit from notes which discuss the dynamic of the scene.

I deplore most notes that touch on the individual player. I honestly do. Because the ego surfaces. Good or bad. There are definitely exceptions but I think this is why Straight / Absurd freed me.


If you get the basics of S/A there's honestly no reason to talk about anything but the dynamic of the scene and its strengths and weaknesses.


Takes the ego and sense of territory out of it. Does wonders.



Gloria, if you struggle giving feedback to the person - shoot genuine feedback at the dynamic between the players.

I feel like notes should be handled primarily by the coach or director. When people start giving one another notes in a troupe, it opens the door for a rift between players should any of those notes be misconstrued or overly negative. It's hard for troupe dynamics to go from being super supportive of everyone onstage to critical offstage. That's the same reason I don't like practice without a coach.

bradisntclever wrote:I feel like notes should be handled primarily by the coach or director. When people start giving one another notes in a troupe, it opens the door for a rift between players should any of those notes be misconstrued or overly negative. It's hard for troupe dynamics to go from being super supportive of everyone onstage to critical offstage. That's the same reason I don't like practice without a coach.

Agreed, at first, but I think a troupe that wants to stick together long-term should find a way that they can honestly give feedback on their own shows without those rifts occurring. I know several long-standing troupes who no longer have an outside coach.

That was just a mistype Brad. I want everyone's opinion. That for helping me clarify.

Chuy, I to give myself notes, but I don't see things clearly sometimes, and I'm not a rich start like you, yet!

Brad Hawkins wrote: Agreed, at first, but I think a troupe that wants to stick together long-term should find a way that they can honestly give feedback on their own shows without those rifts occurring. I know several long-standing troupes who no longer have an outside coach.

Some long standing troupes don't give each other notes either. I'm cool with that too.

Brad Hawkins wrote:Agreed, at first, but I think a troupe that wants to stick together long-term should find a way that they can honestly give feedback on their own shows without those rifts occurring. I know several long-standing troupes who no longer have an outside coach.

Sure, but I've also known many (and been a part of some) former troupes that have fallen apart, often due to the lack of solid external coaching. It all comes down to what you're comfortable with as an improviser. If everyone on your troupe fully trusts one another, then they might not mind criticism from within.

Gloria and I were discussing this last night. It's something we're trying to figure out in In Our Prime right now. We are definitely the kind of troupe that's going to want to give each other feedback directly, but we're trying to figure out the best way to do that.

I'm just like Gloria, and many others I'm sure, in that I want direct feedback, but it's hard to hear sometimes. Usually after some time I can integrate it.

The source of the feedback and the manner in which it is delivered can make a colossal difference in how easy it is to receive.

To be honest I am sometimes not the best at delivering good feedback.

Ryan Hill wrote: To be honest I am sometimes not the best at delivering good feedback.

It's not going to have much weight unless it's coming from a genuine place. I think the key is listening first, and listening even harder is the next key. Realize those moments of joy you experience and bookmark them. Genuine feedback is a treasure trove. Flattery is a soiled sock.

Spots wrote:

Ryan Hill wrote: To be honest I am sometimes not the best at delivering good feedback.

It's not going to have much weight unless it's coming from a genuine place. I think the key is listening first, and listening even harder is the next key. Realize those moments of joy you experience and bookmark them. Genuine feedback is a treasure trove. Flattery is a soiled sock.

Positive feedback is easy, and I always mean it. The only thing I'd classify as flattery is something that wasn't genuine. I think, perhaps less in the improv community, but in our culture in general, we don't say the nice things enough.

It's the, "I wish they hadn't done that" stuff that's difficult.