Building a Strong Feedback Culture with the "I Liked, I Wished, I Wonder" Method
Feedback is a powerful tool for growth, collaboration, and continuous improvement in any organization or team. A strong feedback culture fosters trust, innovation, and continuous learning within teams. When team members feel safe sharing their thoughts and ideas, they are more engaged, motivated, and aligned toward common goals.
However, giving and receiving feedback can often feel uncomfortable or unstructured. That’s where the "I Liked, I Wished, I Wonder" exercise comes in—a simple yet effective framework that encourages open, constructive, and forward-thinking conversations.
How to Give Good Feedback
A good feedback is constructive, actionable, and delivered in a way that promotes learning and growth. Here are the key characteristics of effective feedback:
1. Specific and Clear
Avoid vague statements like "Good job!" or "That wasn't great."
Instead, provide precise observations: "Your presentation was engaging because you used real-life examples with real customer feedback."
2. Balanced (Positive and Constructive)
Highlight strengths before pointing out areas for improvement.
Example: "I liked how you structured your report. One thing that could make it even better is adding more data visualization."
3. Actionable and Focused on Improvement
Feedback should guide the recipient on how to improve.
Instead of "Your emails are too long," say "Consider breaking up long paragraphs into bullet points for better readability."
4. Timely
Give feedback as soon as possible while the situation is fresh.
Delayed feedback loses impact and relevance.
5. Constructive, Not Critical
Focus on behaviors, not personal traits.
Instead of "You're bad at time management," say "I noticed the project was delayed—what can we do to better manage deadlines?"
6. Encourages Two-Way Dialogue
Allow the recipient to ask questions or share their perspective.
Example: "How do you feel about this approach? Do you think it would work for you?"
7. Goal-Oriented
Tie feedback to personal or organizational goals.
Example: "Improving your presentation skills will help you lead client meetings more effectively."
8. Given in a Supportive Manner
Tone and delivery matter—feedback should be respectful and encouraging.
Example: Instead of "This doesn't make sense," say "I see where you're going with this, but could you clarify this part?"
9. Based on Observable Facts, Not Assumptions
Stick to what you have seen or experienced, not assumptions about intent.
Example: "During the meeting, I noticed interruptions—let’s ensure everyone gets a chance to share their thoughts."
10. Encourages Growth and Learning
Good feedback inspires improvement and innovation.
Example: "Have you considered trying this alternative approach? It might help streamline your process."
How "I Liked, I Wished, I Wonder" Works
This exercise is a simple yet powerful way to reflect on a project, meeting, or collaboration., where Each participant provides feedback using three structured prompts:
I Liked…
What went well?
What did you appreciate about the experience, project, or team dynamic?
Example: "I liked how everyone contributed ideas in the brainstorming session."
I Wished…
What could have been better?
What improvements would you suggest?
Example: "I wished we had more time to discuss alternative solutions before making a decision."
I Wonder…
What new possibilities or ideas does this experience inspire?
What questions remain?
Example: "I wonder if we could implement a follow-up meeting to track progress."
By using this format, feedback becomes more constructive, forward-looking, and engaging rather than critical or discouraging.
Why This Works So Well
Unlike traditional feedback methods, which can sometimes feel judgmental or overly formal, "I Liked, I Wished, I Wonder" promotes:
Psychological Safety – Team members feel encouraged to speak honestly without fear of negative repercussions.
Balanced Reflection – The structure ensures positive feedback is included, making constructive criticism easier to accept.
Actionable Insights – Instead of vague complaints, feedback focuses on improvement and future possibilities.
Encourages Curiosity – The "I Wonder" prompt fosters innovation by inviting new ideas and solutions.
How to Use This in Your Team
Here are some practical ways to integrate "I Liked, I Wished, I Wonder" into your team’s workflow:
After a project – Reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved.
During retrospectives – Use it in Agile retrospectives to create structured feedback loops.
For personal development – Encourage peer-to-peer feedback for professional growth.
In meetings – Gather input on meeting effectiveness and ways to improve discussions.
To make it even more effective, consider running this exercise in small groups, using sticky notes or digital tools to capture thoughts, and ensuring that action items are taken from the feedback.
Tools and Templates
To make the process easy, you can use digital tools like Miro or Mural to gather feedback in real-time, especially in remote or hybrid settings. Templates are available to help structure the feedback process:
PDF Template: Download and print for in-person use.
Miro or Mural Templates: Ideal for online collaboration and real-time feedback collection.
Final Thoughts
Creating a strong feedback culture doesn’t happen overnight—it requires intentionality, practice, and the right tools. "I Liked, I Wished, I Wonder" is a simple yet powerful way to make feedback an everyday habit that feels positive, constructive, and actionable.
When teams embrace this mindset, they unlock greater collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement—key ingredients for long-term success.
Are you ready to try this with your team? Let me know how it goes!
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This is such a valuable framework for fostering open and constructive feedback! 'I Liked, I Wished, I Wonder' makes it easy for teams to reflect in a way that feels safe, forward-looking, and engaging. I especially appreciate how this method fosters curiosity and psychological safety— essential for meaningful collaboration. Thank you for sharing such a practical tool for improving team dynamics and growth!