Advice Instead of Feedback
Turn past-focused judgment into specific guidance for the next attempt
- Difficulty
- Starter
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 99%
This framework changes the request from “What feedback do you have?” to “What should I do differently next time?” Grant argues that feedback directs attention toward the past, where respondents often become cheerleaders or critics, while advice turns attention to the future and produces more specific, actionable suggestions. Name the next attempt, ask a relevant observer for one practical change, clarify it, and test it quickly. Grant illustrates the method with military leaders who had criticized his teaching; when asked for advice, one suggested acknowledging the obvious experience gap at the start of the next session. The same material was then received more positively after he changed the opening.
Origin
Extracted from The Diary of a CEO
Core principles
- 01Past-focused judgment can trap people as cheerleaders or critics
- 02Future focus invites concrete suggestions
- 03Useful coaches see potential and support improvement
- 04Ask about the next attempt, not only the last one
How to run it
- 1
Choose the observer
Ask someone who saw the performance and understands the context. Relevance matters more than reassurance.
Pro tip Include a thoughtful critic, not only a supporter.
- 2
Name the next attempt
Describe the upcoming situation and the result you want. Give the person a concrete future to improve.
- 3
Ask for advice
Ask what you should do differently next time rather than requesting a general verdict on the past. Invite one or two actions.
Pro tip Use the exact question: “What is one thing I should do differently next time?”
- 4
Make it actionable
Clarify when and how to apply the suggestion. Translate abstractions into observable behavior.
Pro tip Repeat the action back in your own words.
Watch out Do not argue with the suggestion while trying to understand it.
- 5
Test and report
Use the advice in the next attempt, observe the result, and tell the adviser what happened. Keep what helps and revise what does not.
Pro tip A quick test makes the coaching relationship more useful.
In the wild
After a presentation receives mixed reactions, a consultant asks a skeptical colleague what to do differently in next week's pitch. The colleague advises opening with the client's operational problem instead of the consultant's credentials. The consultant changes the first two minutes and watches whether questions become more relevant.
→ A critic becomes a coach and the next performance tests one clear behavioral change.
Common mistakes
Asking for a verdict
“Was it good?” invites praise or criticism without creating a next action.
Choosing only friendly voices
Cheerleaders may protect feelings while withholding the suggestion most likely to improve performance.
Collecting advice without testing
The value comes from applying a concrete suggestion and observing the next attempt.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best after a disappointing or uncertain performance when another attempt is coming soon.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal when formal accountability requires a factual assessment of past conduct or results.
From the transcript
“instead of asking them for feedback you seek their advice”
From the episode
Adam Grant: The Surprising New Research On Procrastination, Perfectionism & Happiness!