| Course | D640 Giving, Receiving and Incorporating Feedback |
|---|---|
| Task | Task 1 |
| Paper type | Feedback reflection and action plan |
| Length | About 1,100 words, 3 pages |
| Format | APA 7 |
| School | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Program | BS Business Management |
| Updated | September 2026 |
Free sample paper for D640 Task 1
You Take Over Instead of Teaching: Receiving, Acting On and Giving Feedback as a Composite New Team Lead at a Regional Distribution Center
Student Name
School of Business, Western Governors University
D640: Giving, Receiving and Incorporating Feedback, Task 1
Course Instructor
Month Day, Year
You Take Over Instead of Teaching: Receiving, Acting On and Giving Feedback as a Composite New Team Lead at a Regional Distribution Center
The Feedback I Received
I was promoted to team lead on the outbound shipping dock at a composite regional distribution center four months ago, responsible for eleven associates on the evening shift. At my first performance conversation, my operations manager said my numbers were good but gave me a piece of feedback I did not want to hear: "When someone on your team is stuck, you take over instead of teaching. They are learning that you'll fix it." She gave two examples: I had re-sequenced a trailer load myself rather than showing a newer associate how, and I had handled a carrier dispute that a senior associate could have resolved.
My First Reaction
My honest first reaction was defensive. I thought she did not understand how much pressure the dock is under at 9 p.m., when trailers must leave on time, and that taking over was the responsible thing to do. I explained my reasons, and I could hear myself arguing rather than listening. That reaction is common. Feedback that seems to threaten how we see ourselves can pull attention away from the task and toward protecting our self-image. Kluger and DeNisi (1996), combining decades of feedback studies, showed that feedback often backfires, leaving people worse off in roughly one of every three cases they studied, and that it does most damage when it makes people think about themselves instead of the work. I realized that if I stayed focused on defending myself, the feedback would not help me.
Testing the Feedback
After a day, I decided to treat the feedback as information to test rather than a verdict. I asked two associates I trust whether they saw the same pattern. One said, "Honestly, it's faster to just wait for you to do it." The other said she had stopped asking me questions because I would just take the pallet jack out of her hands. That confirmed the feedback. It also showed me the cost: my team was not building skills, and I was becoming the bottleneck on a dock that needs everyone able to solve problems. If I was out sick, the shift would struggle.
Acting on the Feedback
My plan targets one habit: taking over when someone is stuck. For the next eight weeks, when an associate brings me a problem, I will ask two questions before touching anything: "Where are you stuck?" and "What would you do next if I weren't here?" If time allows, I will coach rather than act. If the trailer truly cannot wait, I will do the task but talk through what I am doing and why, and then have the associate do the next similar task while I watch. I will also give two senior associates clear ownership of specific problems, carrier disputes and load sequencing questions, and tell the team to go to them first.
To check progress, I will mark on a pocket card, each shift, every time I take over and every time I coach instead, and I will ask my manager and two associates for feedback after four and eight weeks. Success means my manager sees fewer takeovers, associates report learning more, and the dock still meets its departure times.
Giving Constructive Feedback to My Team
Receiving this feedback also taught me how I want to give it. Constructive feedback is specific, focused on behavior and the task, timely and paired with a path to improve. My manager's feedback worked, eventually, because it included concrete examples and described the effect of my behavior on the team. I will follow the same approach: describe what I saw, explain its effect and ask the associate for their view before suggesting what to do differently.
People also need to feel safe to hear feedback and speak up. In a study of work teams, members' shared belief that it was safe to take interpersonal risks, such as admitting mistakes or asking for help, was associated with more learning behavior and better performance (Edmondson, 1999). I will build that safety by asking for feedback on my own leadership in team huddles and by thanking people who raise problems.
Feedback Across Cultures
My team includes associates from Somalia, Mexico, Laos and the United States, and people differ in how directly they expect feedback to be given and received. Business cultures vary widely on this scale; what feels like honest clarity in one can feel harsh in another (Meyer, 2014). I will not assume that my way is the default. With associates who seem uncomfortable with direct criticism, I will give feedback privately, begin with what is going well and frame improvements as shared goals. I will also ask each associate, in a one-on-one conversation, how they prefer to receive feedback. The substance of the feedback will stay the same; its delivery will fit the person.
What I Learned About Receiving Feedback
Beyond this specific habit, the experience changed how I plan to receive feedback in the future. I now try to do three things when I hear criticism. First, I listen to the end without explaining myself, and I ask for an example if one is not offered. Second, I wait at least a day before deciding whether I agree, because my first reaction is usually about protecting my image rather than understanding the point. Third, I test the feedback by asking others or watching for the pattern myself, so that I neither dismiss it too quickly nor accept it without thought. I have also started asking for feedback before it is offered, at the end of each week, which makes it feel less like a judgment and more like a normal part of the job. My manager noticed the difference in our next conversation, and it became easier for both of us.
Conclusion
The feedback that I take over instead of teaching was hard to hear, and my first response was to defend myself. Testing it with my team showed that it was accurate and that my habit was holding them back. My plan changes one behavior, checks whether the change works and applies what I learned to how I give feedback, including to associates whose cultures shape how they hear it. Feedback helped me only once I stopped protecting myself and started using it.
References
Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383. https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999
Kluger, A. N., & DeNisi, A. (1996). The effects of feedback interventions on performance: A historical review, a meta-analysis, and a preliminary feedback intervention theory. Psychological Bulletin, 119(2), 254-284. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.119.2.254
Meyer, E. (2014). The culture map: Breaking through the invisible boundaries of global business. PublicAffairs.
What the D640 Task 1 instructions ask
The first D640 task asks you to reflect on a piece of feedback and show how you will act on it. You usually describe the feedback, your first reaction, how you evaluated it, the actions you will take, how you will give feedback to others, how culture affects feedback and what you learned about receiving it. Evaluators look for honest reflection, including a reaction that was not ideal, because the task tests self-awareness. Evaluating the feedback means gathering evidence rather than simply accepting or rejecting it. Actions should be specific behaviors with a time frame. The sections on giving feedback and on culture should draw on research. The closing lessons should be usable beyond this one situation, such as listening to the end before explaining yourself.
How this D640 Task 1 example is built
The reflection opens with the writer's role, the team and the exact words of the manager's feedback. The next section describes the first reaction honestly, including the reasons the writer gave in the moment. A testing section explains how the writer asked associates whether they saw the same pattern and what they said. The action plan targets one habit with two questions to ask before stepping in, and a way to track how often the writer takes over. A section on giving feedback draws on research showing that feedback aimed at the task works better than feedback aimed at the person. The culture section discusses how associates from different countries expect feedback. Lessons about receiving criticism close the paper, and notes identify each part's purpose.
Where the D640 Task 1 rubric puts the marks
D640 Task 1 aspects are rated competent, approaching competence or not evident. A feedback aspect asks for the feedback described specifically. The reaction aspect rewards honest reflection on how it was first received. An evaluation aspect looks for evidence gathered to judge the feedback. The action aspect wants specific behaviors with a time frame and a way to measure change. A giving feedback aspect checks for constructive practices supported by research. The culture aspect asks how cultural differences affect giving and receiving feedback. A lessons aspect looks for insights that apply beyond the example. Evaluators notice candor, and a defensive first reaction described honestly scores better than a claim of instant acceptance. Writing and APA citation are part of the rating.
D640 Task 1 help: what sends it back
Feedback reflections lose marks when the first reaction is sanitized. Describe what you actually felt and did, then show how you moved past it. Some papers accept feedback without testing it, when evaluators want evidence from others or from data. Action plans are often vague, such as be a better coach; name the behavior, when you will do it and how you will know. The giving feedback section may repeat common advice without research; cite studies on what makes feedback effective. Culture sections sometimes stereotype, so describe tendencies and individual differences. Lessons can be too tied to one event; state what you will do next time you hear criticism. Keep the reflection in the first person and specific to your workplace.
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D640 Task 1 questions, answered
Does D640 Task 1 use a template?
Some versions supply one; follow it if yours does. The sample uses headings for the feedback, the reaction, testing, actions, giving feedback, culture and lessons, which match the usual prompts.
Is the D640 team lead real?
No. The team lead, manager and associates are a composite. The feedback and psychological safety research cited is real, so reflect on feedback you actually received.
What research fits D640 Task 1?
Studies on feedback effectiveness, psychological safety and cultural differences in communication. The sample cites a review showing feedback aimed at the person can hurt performance and applies it to how the writer gives feedback.
How should D640 Task 1 test the feedback?
By gathering evidence before deciding. The sample asks two trusted associates whether they see the same pattern, and their candid answers confirm the manager's point before any plan is written.
Where can I find a free D640 Task 1 sample paper?
The shipping dock team lead's reflection appears above with notes. Tell us the feedback you received, and your first custom D640 reflection will be drafted free.