Feedback Strategies

(Picture of a thumbs up and thumbs down, meant to symbolize feedback. Can be sourced here)

The two articles I read was Be a Mirror and Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise? I thought both gave insight into why specific, not just 'positive' feedback is important and how simply positive impact can be detrimental. 

As discussed earlier, negative feedback is hard to swallow. By educating ourselves on what is good, constructive feedback, we can actually service others improve and limit their doubt. Have you ever had someone compliment you and you think "well they are just saying that..",? Or even  your most blunt friends, as harsh as their words are, trust their opinion more because you know they are being honest? That is it, we need to find a way to proper communicate to better ourselves. Being able to better communicate to others helps us understand feedback so not be so hurt by negative feedback, and also hopefully have others reciprocate. 

I didn't think of praise in the perspective outlined in Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise, but it actually makes sense. It is actually quite sad that many managers feel it is optional to give positive feedback because they are supposed to not just 'get work done' but improve a worker. I think it would help managers and workers have a better working relationship and better results if praise were given. Bosses would have more trusting workers who would be more likely to work 'better' out of respect than duty. Workers would have a more meaningful experience by being able to improve themselves. I think the article makes fair points, and I think it ties back to the being able to communicate proper feedback issue discussed earlier.

As for the Be a Mirror article, I think it is excellent how teachers use more mindful, and 'growth mindset' thinking to help improve their students' reading skills. I think the 'taking yourself out of the feedback' is the most effective for the reasons listed in the article but also makes it less personal. The main problem with feedback, positive or negative, is how personally people take it. It is not easy to unlearn this, but strategies such as this help.

Being able to dissect and use feedback is necessary for any person that wants to improve in some way.  These techniques are easy ways to be better about giving and receiving feedback, which I think anyone can use.