This really grabbed my attention, because it touched upon a technological reality of today’s work force, to include even our workforce. This is an idea that seeks to work with the mindset of today’s younger generation, and certainly enhances a learning organization capabilities. Did you hear that? Yes, learning organizations is the theme for any company and it’s culture or even today’s military and it’s culture if they want to be successful. And constant feedback is essential for the health of that learning organization. It is not good enough to do a yearly review, or a monthly review. Today’s youth, and I would argue even our older work force (once familiar) would want more feedback about how they are doing, if there was a technology available to them to make that an easy process. Emails and forums are ok, but they are not specifically designed for feedback generation, so what next?
Enter Rypple. This is still in the Beta, and only a handful of companies are using this, but it is some radical stuff. It is a evolving program, that is free to sign up with, that has created a tool for the free flow of feedback, back and forth between bosses, mentors, and employees. I challenge today’s security contracting community to take a hard look at this kind of thing, and see if this is something they could use. Your older workers might be intimidated by this, but your younger workers might really appreciate this tool.
Imagine, you feel really bad about your performance at the range or on a mission, and you want to get some feedback about how you did or what you could have done differently from some of your cherished mentors or instructors or team leaders. But scheduling time or circumstance just couldn’t allow that to happen. Using a system like Rypple, where you ask the question of your network, and they answer back(or at least a few of them) so that you can get that feedback could be the answer. I guess you could use an email or forum, or you could use something that is actually designed to facilitate this feedback network. And for bosses and employees that hate doing evaluations every year or every month, something like this would be cheap and easy to do as a form of evaluations. Every company should be using evaluations, so that everyone knows where they stand in the company and how they are doing. Rypple would be a very easy program to initiate.
Although, this was mostly designed for the office environment, I think there is a use for other areas of employee/management relations in other industries. It is so new though, that no one has really played around with it. I guess for me, the part of this that really gets me, is the concept of reverse feedback generation-the employee connecting with mentors and bosses to see how they are doing. It is using your network to get a feel for how you are doing, so you can perform better or even learn something new. That is cool. Rypple allows you to work this network, not based on a yearly review or monthly sit down meeting, but at each other’s leisure.
Managers out there should also pay attention to the age and mindset of their workforce, to see if this kind of thing might work. It is just a tool, and still somewhat experimental, but still worth looking at and exploring. I think Boyd or companies like Toyota would have liked something like this because it reinforces the concept that we are constantly learning and constantly trying to make a better product or provide a better service. –Matt
The Company FAQ
How does Rypple work?
What is Rypple?
Rypple is simply the best way to get useful feedback. It’s quick, direct, and easy.
Successful people have friends, mentors, managers, and clients they view as trusted advisers. These people can give real, useful feedback. But, it’s hard to give helpful advice. Why??
* It can be awkward
* People are busy. Face-to-face reviews and emails take too long
* Annual reviews are linked to your pay or promotion
Rypple fixes this by giving you control. You choose:
* Your advisers
* Questions relevant to you
* When and how often you ask for feedback
* And, most important: you choose what to do with the feedback
Why did you create Rypple?
Traditional performance management systems don’t help people get the quick, specific and frequent feedback they need. Rypple fixes this. Rypple feedback makes people more productive, self-aware, and less anxious.
Why is Rypple better than email or face-to-face feedback?
Email and face-to-face meetings are good. But they take too long or are not anonymous. Rypple lets you ask, and lets your advisers answer when it’s convenient. Rypple gives you and your advisers privacy: comments are not linked to the names of your advisers; and others (including your boss) don’t see what people are saying about you. Best of all, Rypple keeps all your feedback in one place so you know how you’re doing over time.
How do I use Rypple?
Use Rypple in three easy steps:
1. Go to Get Feedback to ask your mentors, co-workers, managers, friends, or clients a single question. Rypple lets them know you’re looking for feedback or advice, and gives them a quick way to tell you what they really think (since their identity is kept secret). It only takes them a minute to respond and they don’t even need a Rypple account.
2. Head to Review Results to see the responses as they come in. Only you see the responses.
3. Help people by visiting Give Feedback to privately respond to questions that others ask you. Your identity is not linked to your feedback.
The best way to learn about Rypple is to use it. It’s fast, easy to use, and it’s free!
How long does it take to ask for feedback?
It usually takes about a minute to ask a question and select the people you want to ask. It’s quick because you can only ask one question.
Is it easy to give feedback? Can I do it quickly?
Yes and yes. It takes a couple of minutes to give clear, short, and direct feedback. Anything more, and you’re wasting your (and your adviser’s) time. It’s quick because you only respond to one question, and because there is limited space to respond (just 200 characters).
Can I ask people for feedback if they’re not on Rypple?
Absolutely. You can ask anyone for feedback if they have a valid email address. They do not have to be a Rypple user to give you feedback. However, people who are not registered Rypple users cannot give you unsolicited feedback. They can only respond to the questions you’ve asked them.
How do I get the most out of Rypple?
Who should I ask for feedback?
Ask people who can provide specific insight on you and your work. The best feedback comes from people you respect: mentors, co-workers, managers, friends, clients, or teammates. Don’t restrict yourself to people you work with. Lot’s of people you interact with will be happy to help you.
How often should I ask for feedback?
Ask often! The best approach is to regularly ask specific questions about things you’re working on or just completed. Because your questions will be direct and relevant, and the responses are limited, you’ll only take a moment of your adviser’s time. Do remember to be respectful and avoid flooding people with questions.
How will I be perceived if I ask for feedback?
When you ask for feedback, you let people know that you care about your performance and want to get even better. Your managers and those who work for you will love this! Some call it continuous improvement, others call it Kaizen. All would agree that you become stronger by continuously improving. And it’s hard to improve without knowing what to improve! Rypple helps you find out.
Is Rypple private and confidential?
Can other people see the feedback I get?
No. You, and only you, see the feedback that you get.
Can my adviser give me truly honest feedback?
Yes. The feedback you get is aggregated so you only see the comments and not who wrote them. This lowers the barriers to people telling you what you really need to know to improve.
Will you ever reveal the name of the advisers?
No. We will never reveal who sent you feedback on Rypple unless, in our judgement, the content of a message violates our Terms of Use and/or Privacy Policy.
How exactly do I know the person I am giving feedback to will not know it’s me?
We will never show your name to the person you send feedback to. We also let you know when you’re the only person (or one of two) being asked the question. This lets you choose to respond if you’re comfortable having your identity revealed (or less secret).
Anything else?
Is this the final version of Rypple?
No, not at all. We’re currently in a private beta. This means that stuff will change and that stuff will break (occasionally). We’re using this approach to learn how to build something that really suits your needs. Please, let us know if you have ideas.
I have more questions
And we’d love to hear them. Drop us a line.
——————————————————————-
The Rypple effect
Dec 30th 2008 | SAN FRANCISCO
From The Economist print edition
A novel way to satisfy feedback junkies
ONE defining characteristic of the Net Generation is that it thrives on feedback. Just as they are used to checking their progress on leader boards when playing video games, so Net Geners want to keep close tabs on their performance at work, too. This can be a problem for managers who may be badgered weekly—even daily—for appraisal by eager young members of staff.
The creators of a new, web-based service called Rypple claim that it can satisfy Net Geners’ desire for frequent assessments while easing the burden on their supervisors. The service requires employees to establish a network of trusted peers, mentors and managers whose opinions they value. They can then send out short questions, such as “What did you think of my presentation today?”, to which their network’s members can respond online. The responses are kept anonymous so that, at least in theory, employees cannot tell who has made them.
Among other things, Rypple lets users ask members of their networks to measure their performance against a scale, so they can track how they are doing over time. It also lets employers see what “tags”, or overarching themes, are being used most often in questions. If, say, creativity is key to a firm’s success but there are few requests for feedback on employees’ creativity, then bosses can tell they have not done enough to communicate their priorities.
Daniel Debow, one of Rypple’s co-founders, says the system “reverses the onus on the demand for more feedback” by getting employees to build and manage their own coaching networks. Perhaps, but by making it easier for users to solicit assessments, managers could end up spending even more time fielding requests. And to older workers, Rypple may look like a Big Brotherish way to track what is going on in the workplace.
But firms that have road-tested Rypple claim that such concerns evaporate once it is up and running. (The basic service is free, but a premium version costs $2-5 per user per month.) Tony Chapman, the boss of Capital C, a Canadian marketing agency, says both young and older workers at his company have embraced the system eagerly. He is even using it to solicit feedback from clients.
Rypple may not be perfect, but it is certainly better than antediluvian annual or semi-annual performance reviews. At a time when results are under pressure almost everywhere, anything that helps improve employees’ performance quickly can be a source of useful competitive advantage. Thanks to the rise of the Net Generation, services such as Rypple may well make a splash in the workplace.
Story Here