Voluntary Peer Feedforward

Most feedback processes in tech trigger defensiveness because they dwell on unchangeable past mistakes. Voluntary Peer Feedforward in Mellowe applies executive coach Marshall Goldsmith’s methodology: replacing backward-looking critique with learner-initiated, future-focused suggestions.

1. What is Feedforward?

Traditional Feedback ❌	Peer Feedforward in Mellowe ✅
Focuses on the past (which cannot be changed)	Focuses on the future (where you have agency)
Often perceived as personal judgment or critique	Offered as positive suggestions and possibilities
Triggers defensive rationalization (“Here is why that happened”)	Received with a simple “Thank you” and no debate
Mandated from the top down (forced 360 reviews)	Learner-initiated (you request advice on your own terms)

2. Requesting Feedforward in Slack

Because Feedforward is voluntary, it starts when you want to grow in a specific area:

In Slack, run the slash command:
Terminal window
```
/mellowe feedforward request
```
Or in the Web Dashboard, go to Growth > Feedforward and click Request Suggestions.
Choose 1–3 colleagues whose perspective you value (e.g. your tech lead, a cross-functional designer, or a peer).
Specify your growth intention. Examples:
- “I want to run sharper incident post-mortems without letting conversations meander. Any ideas for my next review?”
- “I’m working on writing clearer RFCs for junior engineers. What practices have worked well for you?”
- “I want to improve how I communicate trade-offs to non-technical stakeholders in sprint reviews.”

3. The 4 Golden Rules for Responders

When someone asks you for feedforward, follow these four foundational rules:

Future-Focused Only: Do not bring up past missteps or say “Last week you failed to…”. Start with: “Next time, you might try…” or “One approach that worked for me is…”.
Actionable & Specific: Offer 1–2 practical techniques the person can test immediately.
No Cross-Examination: Keep your suggestions affirmative and encouraging.
No Obligation: The requester is free to accept, adapt, or discard any suggestion. It is a gift, not a mandate.

4. How the Requester Responds

The cardinal rule of the Marshall Goldsmith method is:

When receiving Feedforward, only say one thing: “Thank you.”

No defending yourself, no explaining why you did what you did last month, and no arguing about constraints. Simply take the suggestion, reflect on it, and decide whether it serves your future growth.

5. Your Personal Growth Vault

All received suggestions are private by default:

Mark ideas you want to experiment with during upcoming sprints.
Link relevant suggestions into your 1:1 Check-in Agendas for ongoing coaching discussion.
Review your historical feedforward when preparing for Quarterly Reflections.