Feedback is important, but …..
In our education system we are taught to
focus on the weaknesses and the defects. That is the way we are being rated.
The focus is on what is wrong, not on what is right. For example, you have 3
faults out of 10. We don’t say you have 7 good out of 10.
The same negative focus is part of the
performance review process. In one of my first formal reviews, my manager
talked for 50 minutes about things, which could be improved. So, I thought that
I would receive an insufficient rating and I did become scared. However, to my
big surprise I did receive a ‘Usually Exceeds Requirements’ rating! I still do
feel the surprise and above all the negative feeling.
This way of giving feedback is especially
damaging in innovation. As you are starting something new it is of course wise
to receive all kinds of feedback (positive and negative) but you must not have
the feeling that you can better stop with your new project.
It is important to understand:
- - Who did give the feedback and
how representative this person is for the target group?
- - Is it a minor improvement or a
major change which is required?
- - How did the majority feel about
your innovation? Please note that only a few will give formal feedback. So, you
have to approach the others and ask for it.
- - Is the feedback focused on
making the offering better?
- - What is needed to make it
perfect?
If you have just sown some grass seeds and
the small grass is just popping up, do you let someone with big boots run over
you new grass? No, of course not! But you really would like to hear from him
how to make your grass go faster, isn’t it?!
So, be careful with feedback and use it in
the right way and don’t let you get distracted from the goal.
Enthusiasm drives Excellence!
