Everyone's A Critic | the art of asking for constructive criticism

I know... I'm showing my age with this post, but when it comes to criticism my memory always turns to Statler and Waldorf from the hit television series The Muppet Show . They were two cantankerous old puppet men who heckled and criticized the rest of the Muppet Show cast (and even each other) from their prime balcony seats.  Statler and Waldorf found their criticisms very entertaining with most segments ending in mutual laughter at their own wisecracks and witticism.  From my recollection, no one ever asked for their feedback or criticism, they just offered it without reservation.

I have found that most people do not offer feedback or criticism without prompting.  Mostly because people do not want to create conflict.  Sadly, people will share their criticisms with others before they will share it with me and most of the time I never hear their thoughts and therefore do not benefit from knowing how they felt about their small group experience.  Many of the unrevealed criticisms are valid and if addressed, could positively shape the experience for everyone in the group.  For instance, on the last night of our video curriculum based small group series I found that more than one person would have had a better experience watching the video if the volume would have been turned up louder.  Unfortunately, I didn't know this was their experience until I asked for feedback on a short survey which we had participants fill out on the last night of the small group session.

What is the moral of the story? Ask for feedback early-on and at the end of your small group season.  Feedback and constructive criticism will help you create an optimal environment for learning, connecting and relating.

Below is a sample survey for your use with your small group.  Note that the questions evoke positivity and constructive criticism.  As you form your own survey questions, I challenge you to make the survey brief and avoid asking questions that will provoke negativity like: What did you like least about this course?

Sample Survey Questions:

Thanks for attending!

Please fill out the quick survey as a way of helping us understand your experience!

We appreciate your feedback!

Name: ____________________________________

Email: ____________________________________

What influenced your decision to attend this small group?

What did you like best?

What was the most memorable thing about the series?

How could we improve the experience for others in the future?

What other kind of group might you be interested in?
(More on marriage, parenting, finances, etc?)

Is there anything else you would like us to know?