Feedback is essential for our

professional growth: it helps us identify

and build the skills we need for
success. But asking for feedback can
be daunting, particularly when we fear
that it might not be wholly positive.
In this article, we'll look at "Stop Keep Doing Start", a
tool that helps us ask for focused, action-based feedback.

Overview
The SKS (Stop Keep Doing Start) Process is the formal
name for a short set of questions that you can use when
you ask for feedback. The questions are simple:

What should I stop doing?

What should I keep doing?

What should I start doing?

Phil Daniels, a psychology professor at Brigham Young
University, is credited with devising the process. It's
effective for several reasons.

First, it's reassuring: The questions push others to think

of specific things that you do well, as well as encouraging
them to say what you could do better.

The process is action-focused: The comments made

give you a practical insight into the impact of your
behavior on others, and explain precisely what you need
to do to improve.

Finally, the questions are quick. In many cases, they

allow people to give good-quality feedback in just a few
minutes.

Tip 1:
Stop Keep Doing Start was initially devised as a way of
requesting help and feedback. However, you can also use it
when giving feedback
.

Tip 2:
The process works best when the questions are asked
orally: It's not intended to replace more formal feedback
processes, such as performance reviews.

How to Use the Process

What Should I STOP Doing?
Look closely at the behavior that you've been asked to stop
doing.

Do you understand the feedback, and why it's

important to the person who gave it? If not, ask for
clarification.

Is this behavior closely tied to your personality (for

example, if you're an introvert, are people encouraging
you to be more outgoing)? If so, you may need to work
extra-hard to change, as new behaviors could feel
uncomfortable at first.
Consider taking a personality test, such as the MyersBriggs Type Indicator , to understand your
personality better, and to consider how it affects how you
work with others. You may also want to build in longer-

term opportunities for feedback, to ensure that you

continue to make progress.

What opportunities will changing your behavior create,

and how will this change improve your working life? It is
often very motivating to think about the positive impact
that change could bring.
It can be upsetting to learn that you're doing something
that your boss or your peers want you to stop. However,
remember that they will hopefully be looking at this from a
business perspective, and not making a personal criticism.
Try to manage your own feelings , and focus on the
value in what they're saying.

What Should I KEEP Doing?

These are the actions and behaviors that your colleagues
appreciate. To understand how you could incorporate these
tasks more fully into your role, think about the following
questions:

Do any of these suggestions surprise you? If so, why?

Do any of these behaviors resonate with you

emotionally? For example, do you experience a state
of flow when you're engaged in them? Note down what
appeals to you about these activities, and use the MPS
Process to build more of them into your work.

What specific skills are you developing as a result

these actions? Are you using strengths that you didn't
realize you had? If so, how could you apply these
strengths to other projects?

Finding This Article Useful?

You can learn another 133 communication skills, like this,

by joining the Mind Tools Club.
Find Out More

What Should I START Doing?

The feedback that you receive with this last question points
to gaps in your current performance. These suggestions
can help you look at issues that you might not have
addressed until now.

Look carefully at the things that your colleagues think

you should start doing. What advantages will they
provide to you and to others?

Do any of these tasks, projects, or behaviors make you

feel anxious or afraid? If so, have you avoided these
things because of a fear of failure or some
otherblindspot ?
Think carefully about why you haven't addressed these
things in the past, and what you can do to overcome your
reluctance to start them. (If you've just been "putting
things off", learn how to overcome procrastination
and accomplish more.)

Do any of these new activities require skills or

information that you don't have? If so, create a plan
for gaining the skills you need to succeed.

If, after reflection, you still don't understand why

starting something new is important, ask for clarification
from the person who gave you the feedback. You may
also benefit from some coaching on the subject.

Tip:

If your workload is already large, adding new tasks or

projects might feel overwhelming. If so, make sure that
you prioritize effectively , so you can work the most
valuable suggestions into your schedule.

Key Points

Stop Keep Doing Start is a simple way to gather

guidance and feedback using three simple questions:

What should I stop doing?

What should I keep doing?

What should I start doing?

You can use this tool to ask for feedback about your own
work. However, it's also useful when giving feedback to
someone else, or for enhancing a mentoring or coaching
relationship.
This site teaches you the skills you need for a happy and
successful career; and this is just one of many tools and
resources that you'll find here at Mind Tools. Subscribe to
our free newsletter, or join the Mind Tools Club and
really supercharge your career!

Thomas
J. DeLongfor Effective Feedback
Three
Questions

AUGUST 04, 2011

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When I was in graduate school, Phil Daniels, then a psychology professor

at Brigham Young University, taught us about a feedback mechanism he
called the SKS form. It was simply a process whereby we would ask others
what we should stop (S), keep (K), and start (S) doing, given a particular role
we might have as a teacher, friend, spouse, father, mother, etc. People are
asked to fill in the blanks, limiting their entries to no more than three bullet
points under each subhead.
Eventually, I introduced the SKS process into faculty evaluations at
universities, as well as performance appraisals on Wall Street. Ive found it
helps me, as well as others, avoid living in our fantasies of who we are. The

specificity of knowing what we should quit, continue, and start doing anchors
us in reality.
Asking others for feedback using SKS can be important to professional
growth. I urge you to tell your support people about the SKS process. Ask
them to evaluate you using SKS regularly and hold you accountable for what
they list. Its a simple tool, but a highly effective one. Too often, we may tell
ourselves that we have to quit being such a micromanager (for instance), but
our resolve to stop micromanaging gets lost in the activity of daily events. By
having your support team respond to three simple questions, invaluable
feedback can be obtained. The questions are:
1. What should I stop doing?
2. What should I keep doing?
3. What should I start doing?

The SKS also counteracts our tendency to avoid seeking out other peoples
opinions of our attitudes and behaviors. When you are feeling the worst
about yourself, you dont ask for more feedback. You dont want to know. You
use the excuse that you are already being tough on yourself, so you dont
need anyone else to be harsh. This rationale creates a vicious cycle where
there is no need for you to learn of other views or ask for help. If you dont
hear the hard truth from others, you dont have to acknowledge that its real.
The SKS process breaks the hold our illusions have on us.
When you have your support people do an SKS, use the following questions
to help you identify the behaviors that are keeping you stuck and the
behaviors that will help you move in new directions:
Stop

Keep

Are you hearing that you should quit doing something that you feel is a skill
or strength?
Is your first response that quitting this behavior will have catastrophic
consequences?
On reflection, is it possible that youve fallen into a behavioral rut? If you stop
doing one thing, might you have an opportunity to try something new and
different?

Is there something youre doing right that people feel you should do more of?
Have you been dismissive of this particular behavior or skill for some reason?
What might happen if you used this keep more? How might it impact your
effectiveness and satisfaction with your job?

Start

Are people recommending you do something that feels foreign or scary?

What about it makes you anxious? Is it because you are afraid of looking like
you dont know what youre doing?
Why are people suggesting you start doing this new thing? What benefits do
they feel will accrue to you, your group, or your organization?

We know feedback is seldom as bad as we have imagined in our heads. The

key is to begin the process sooner than later.

Thomas J. DeLong is the Philip J. Stomberg Professor of Management Practice

in the Organizational Behavior area at Harvard Business School and the
author of Flying Without a Net. His research focuses on the challenges facing
individuals and organizations in the process of change.

This article is about MANAGING YOURSELF

FOLLOW THIS TOPIC
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UP NEXT IN COMMUNICATION
Feedback That Works

Cynthia M. Phoel

UP NEXT IN MANAGING PEOPLE

A Film Director's Approach to Managing Creativity

Andrew Silver; Eileen Morley

UP NEXT IN GIVING FEEDBACK

How to Give Your Boss Feedback

Amy Gallo

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Use the "Start-Keep-Stop" Technique to Become a Better Executive

You've probably studied or read up on numerous management techniques to help perfect your
executive style, brand and effectiveness. Adopting those techniques that you value, possibly
discarding the rest, you have developed a style that has proven to be successful. Dont stop now.
Management Techniques
Some new techniques to improve management performance are so theoretical or complex that they
pose challenges to even the best executives. While some economic and/or financial subjects tend to
be innately complex, some of the best management techniques are relatively simple.
As most seasoned executives know, but sometimes forget, successful management begins with
making connections with the workers, both lower and higher, at the organization. Experienced
executives are aware that, regardless of their self-confidence or ego, they can't do everything
themselves.
Management, at all levels, need effective teams, whether formal or informal, to achieve most
company goals. Whether your team is composed of C-level executives or untested, younger
employees, you still need 1. a plan, and 2. an engaged team of peers, staff and supervisors to
achieve greatness.
The connection you make with these individuals and groups makes the difference in success or
failure. Unlike most sports teams, which often reinforce the view that great athletes make great
coaches, effective management techniques can mold and develop winning teams, individuals and
companies, even when staff is ability challenged.
Looking at the big picture also lends itself to simplicity, common sense and other reasonable
approaches. The Start-Keep- Stop technique is a wonderful example of using common sense to
improve your management success.
Start-Keep-Stop
Writing for CBS Money Watch, Rich Russakoff, noted professional executive coach, speaker and
writer, offers the basis of this technique in his article, An exercise that will rock your world

(December 2012). This simple technique will help you identify things that are important to you on a
personal, business and/or professional level.
Start
Think about the actions you might start taking that can increase the efficiency of your company. You
can turn your dreams into measurable achievementsbut, you must start. Whether with a personal
or corporate focus, this step works.
For example, if you want to enhance your communication efforts, go for it. If your employer needs a
corporate culture rejuvenation, start activities that might influence this important condition.
Author Russakoff describes a good example of a CEO who believes her key client relationships need
some attention. She began devoting two days each month to personal visits to client focus groups.
Accompanied by the sales director and COO, the CEO asked each client the same questions.

What are your growth plans?

List your largest challenges and best opportunities?
How can our company help you grow?
What good things are we doing for you and what things can we do better?
Are there more or different services you need and youd like us to provide?
Do you have examples of things others are doing better than we are? Could we emulate those
things to help you?

In your opinion, what things should we change?

Keep
Recognize, identify and continue policies and procedures that strengthen your companys
operations, brand and positive pattern recognition. Perform the same keep exercise and ask
yourself, What am I doing that generates a powerful impact on company efficiency?"
If youre unsure of the answer, ask your customers and clients, gather your team for regular progress
meetings and/or consider implementing employee satisfaction surveys to get valuable feedback.
When you identify the positive, effective things youre doing for your employer and yourself, commit
to keeping these features as part of your management repertoire.
For example, if youve instituted a successful employee recognition policy, keep or expand it. You
might want to recognize both the winning employee and the person who nominates him/her for the

award. To cement your personal connection, you might want to present the awards to both parties
yourself, emphasizing your personal commitment to your staff and enhancing your personal brand.
Stop
Most successful executives act decisively when spotting negative actions or patterns in the
workplace. Are there frustrating workplace behaviors you witness that never seem to go away? Is
your corporate culture advancing the company or holding it back?
Stop negative actions as soon as you confirm they exist. You have the power and the responsibility to
do so. When you notice ineffective procedures or systems, failing communications, lack of budget
control or poor staff time management, stop these patterns.
Stops can be just as effective as starts and keeps. In most situations, the timing of your stop actions
is just as important as the action itself. For example, if you learn of undisciplined buying or
spending habits of some staff, invoke an executive stop action right away. Delaying action will only
cost the company more unnecessary expenses in real dollars.
The Start-Keep-Stop technique is simple and straightforward. It does require that you take an
objective inventory of your companys strengths and weaknesses, as well as your own. Mr. Russakoff
believes this technique may rock your world. If it does, your career and your company will reap
many rewards.
Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505143_162-57559862/an-exercise-that-will-rockyour-world/?tag=nl.e713&s_cid=e713