Feedback Strategies

1) Try Feedforward instead of Feedback
http://www.marshallgoldsmith.com/articles/try-feedforward-instead-feedback/

I really liked this article because it took a very interesting approach to feedback that I had never heard about before. It made an interesting point that most of the feedback we hear focuses on the past and what errors we made. Instead we should try to make an effort to focus on all of the possibilities, positives and things we would rather see in the future! I think instantly turns a situation that could be viewed at as negative by the person being critiqued, into a positive situation. This makes the person you are critiquing feel more confident and prepared for the future.

2) The Difference Between Praise and Feedback
https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/34778/the-difference-between-praise-and-feedback

This was a fun article to read because it made me rethink a lot of the ways that I normally give people feedback. I have always liked to give very positive feedback and I think that oftentimes I probably overpraise the person who I am critiquing. This not only devalues the praise I give, it can negatively impact the person that I am trying to help. It is more important to give more detail oriented feedback, like instead of saying "great job!" which someone has probably heard hundreds of times. Recognize what hard work lead them to the moment where they achieved that feat. Value the work that it took to get to that moment more than the moment itself!

Feedback in it's simplest form
Source: Google Images

Feedback Thoughts

1) Why Rejection Hurts so Much - and What to do About it

https://ideas.ted.com/why-rejection-hurts-so-much-and-what-to-do-about-it/

I really liked this article! One of the most fascinating things I learned was that when we feel rejection,  the same part of our brain lights up in an MRI as when we experience physical pain. That was just when the patient was asked to recall a recent rejection, not even as it was happening! So you can imagine how painful our bodies perceive rejection in the moment. I thought this was very interesting because I remember that feeling as a physical feeling as well! I also liked their theory that we had evolved that seemingly physical response to aid us so many years ago. It helped to have this hardwired because feeling rejected could have led to isolation from a group or tribe which would have meant certain death all those years ago.

The two most common mistakes after rejection seem to be negative self talk and lamenting in a feeling of self isolation instead of boosting your feelings of social connection with others. Instead of telling yourself that you are so stupid, you should focus on how you could improve in the future and move on.

2) Seven Ways to Crush Self Doubt in Creative Work

http://www.spencerauthor.com/seven-ways-to-crush-self-doubt/

I really enjoyed this article because it is very relatable. It was reassuring to hear that I wasn't the only one who often struggled with feeling like I was wasn't good enough sometimes. One of the biggest struggles that I related to was comparing myself to others. This is such a hard habit to break. One of the dangers in this, the author pointed out, is that you start to see those around you as competition instead of community. Another important thing the article pointed out is that you have to set goals that are within your control. I really appreciated this reminder because I spend so many nights laying in bed for hours stressing out about things that are so far in the future. I'll stress out about applying to post-grad programs for hours even though I don't start applying for another year. It's not beneficial and it's mostly out of my control at the moment. Finally, I liked that it pointed out how important it is to trust yourself, which I often times struggle with as well.

A good example of the many benefits of thinking positively
Source: google images