Critical Feedback

When it comes to improving any aspect of our life, few things are as important as the feedback that helps us identify potential areas of improvement. Ironically, giving critical feedback is super hard, and receiving it is even harder. Why?

I think this HBR article really nailed it when it said that the process of giving honest, critical feedback can be intensely uncomfortable and cause anxiety on both sides of the table. On one hand, the person giving the feedback may be worried that their feedback might irreparably damage their relationship with the recipient, the recipient’s self confidence, or both. On the other hand, the person receiving the feedback may be worried about its potential impact on their reputation and earning potential, so they naturally become defensive.

If critical feedback is super important (and I really think it is), we need ways to push through these emotional roadblocks. Below are some great ideas I found for doing just that.

Giving Feedback
Kim Scott, author of the really cool book titled Radical Candor said it best when she said the evaluation of feedback doesn’t happen at the giver’s mouth but at the receiver’s ear. To improve the quality of feedback you provide, here’s a few things you can try:

1. Care personally: As the saying goes: people don’t care how much you know, until they…