Different Feedback Strategies

 

The never ending cycle of positive feedback within one's life.

Image from 5 Tips for Giving Constructive Feedback.

    In the first article I read titled How to Give Feedback Without Being a Jerk, the author speaks of his own experience giving feedback within his career. The author points out that the best strategy (at least it was the best strategy according to his friends) for giving feedback was to make it a compliment sandwich: stack the criticism between two compliment "buns". The author quickly found that this method does not actually work. Not only do the compliments fall on deaf ears, but the criticism does too. The compliments tend to take away from the criticism within the feedback but there is a constructive way to give someone feedback without sounding like a total jerk. Instead, the author found that it is better to explain why you're giving the feedback, take yourself off a pedestal and realize that you're not perfect either, ask the person if they even want feedback, and have a transparent dialogue about the thing you're giving feedback on. By utilizing these four steps, the author claims that you will be able to give others constructive feedback without sounding like a total jerk!

    In the second article I read titled The Difference Between Praise and Feedback, the author points out that certain phrases such as "good job!" are just average praise in a child's mind and do not provide any actual feedback. Many researchers have given their negative thoughts on praise and how it is manipulative toward the child. The author points out different praise perspectives, then she explains that while it is nice to tell your child good job, you do not have to lie to them. If a child is playing in a soccer game and they aren't doing too hot, you can give them constructive criticism by suggesting how they could improve next time. There is a difference between just telling someone good job no matter how terrible they were versus actually helping that child improve. Overall, there is a big difference between praise and constructive feedback; therefore, parents must know when to use one or the other.

    Personally, I love hearing constructive feedback as long as the person is respectful about it. I would like to know what my weak areas are and what needs improvement overall. I do not want to hear a string of criticisms and I may hear someone's feedback and still not use it but at least I took it into consideration after hearing the feedback. I love giving feedback over someone's writing. I really enjoy seeing people's ideas and helping them tweak the ideas to make them even better. I like to think that I am pretty good about giving and receiving constructive feedback!