FEEDBACK is critical to growth and development
Talking with ChatGPT about why it's so hard to get useful feedback leads me to a new idea about Substack Mentoring
Why do we need feedback? I asked an artificial brain. And it replied in a speedy and organized fashion:
*** Feedback is important for several reasons, both in personal and professional contexts:
Personal Growth and Development: Feedback provides valuable insights into our strengths and weaknesses. It helps individuals identify areas where they can improve and grow. Without feedback, it can be challenging to recognize areas that need attention.
Skill Improvement: Constructive feedback helps individuals and teams enhance their skills and performance. It provides specific information on what is working well and what needs adjustment, allowing for targeted skill development.
Enhanced Self-Awareness: Feedback can increase self-awareness. It helps individuals understand their own behavior, attitudes, and impact on others. This self-awareness is essential for personal and professional growth.
Goal Achievement: Feedback can align individuals and teams with their goals. It provides a check on progress and offers guidance on how to adjust strategies or tactics to achieve desired outcomes.
Improved Relationships: Feedback fosters better communication and understanding between people. When feedback is given and received openly and constructively, it can strengthen relationships, whether in personal or professional settings.
Increased Accountability: Regular feedback encourages accountability. When individuals know that their performance is being monitored and evaluated, they are more likely to take responsibility for their actions and outcomes.
Quality Improvement: In professional settings, feedback is crucial for quality improvement. It helps identify issues, bottlenecks, and areas of improvement in processes, products, or services.
Innovation: Feedback can lead to innovation and creative problem-solving. When individuals and teams receive feedback, they are encouraged to think critically and come up with new ideas and solutions.
Conflict Resolution: Constructive feedback can help resolve conflicts by addressing issues and concerns in a non-confrontational way. It provides a platform for open dialogue and problem-solving.
Employee Engagement: In the workplace, regular feedback can boost employee engagement. When employees feel that their contributions are recognized and that their development is supported, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged.
Customer Satisfaction: Feedback from customers is essential for businesses to understand customer preferences and improve products or services. Customer feedback can drive product development and help companies meet customer expectations.
Continuous Improvement: Feedback loops allow for continuous improvement in various aspects of life and work. By collecting feedback, making adjustments, and then collecting more feedback, individuals and organizations can continually refine their processes and performance.
In summary, feedback serves as a powerful tool for personal and professional growth, performance improvement, and the development of healthy relationships and organizations. It helps individuals and teams become more self-aware, make informed decisions, and adapt to changing circumstances.
Thank you, I replied, and then asked the next obvious question: Why is it so hard to get that feedback we obviously need? Once again, the response delighted me with its speed and insights.
*** Getting feedback can be challenging for several reasons:
Fear of Criticism: Many people are afraid of receiving negative feedback or criticism. They may perceive feedback as a personal attack on their abilities or as a threat to their self-esteem.
Vulnerability: Receiving feedback requires a level of vulnerability, as it often involves acknowledging areas where you may need improvement or where you have made mistakes. This can be uncomfortable for some individuals.
Ego Protection: People tend to have a natural desire to protect their ego and maintain a positive self-image. Constructive feedback may challenge this self-image, leading to resistance.
Lack of Trust: If there isn't trust between the person giving feedback and the one receiving it, it can be difficult to accept the feedback. Trust is essential for open and honest communication.
Miscommunication: Feedback can sometimes be unclear or poorly delivered, making it challenging for the recipient to understand the feedback's intent or take actionable steps to improve.
Emotional Impact: Feedback can trigger emotional reactions, such as defensiveness, anger, or sadness. These emotional responses can make it difficult to process and use the feedback effectively.
Cultural and Social Factors: Different cultures and social norms can influence how feedback is given and received. In some cultures, direct feedback is considered rude, while in others, it's expected.
Feedback Overload: Receiving feedback from multiple sources simultaneously or frequently can be overwhelming. It may be challenging to prioritize and act on all the feedback received.
Lack of Training: Many people have not been taught how to give or receive feedback effectively. Without proper guidance and practice, it can be challenging to navigate the feedback process.
Fixed Mindset: Individuals with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities are static and cannot be changed. Such individuals may be less open to feedback because they view it as a reflection of their inherent limitations rather than an opportunity for growth.
Overcoming these challenges often involves developing skills in emotional intelligence, communication, and self-awareness. It also helps to create a culture of feedback where giving and receiving feedback is normalized and seen as a tool for personal and professional growth rather than a threat.
So far, pretty darn good, so I decided to push a little deeper and asked, "What’s the best way to get useful, unbiased feedback? Without breaking a sweat, ChatGPT responded: (Style question: Do you use quotation marks when quoting AI?)
*** Getting useful, unbiased feedback can be challenging, but there are several strategies you can employ to increase the likelihood of receiving honest and constructive feedback:
Choose the Right Feedback Provider:
Seek feedback from individuals who have relevant knowledge or experience in the area you want feedback on. They should be able to provide informed opinions.
Avoid seeking feedback from people who have a strong personal bias or a vested interest in the outcome. Look for impartial sources.
Ensure Anonymity if Necessary:
In situations where people might fear repercussions for providing honest feedback, consider making the feedback process anonymous. This can encourage candid responses.
Be Specific in Your Request:
When asking for feedback, be clear about what you want to know or improve. Ask specific questions related to the topic or area of interest.
Instead of asking, "What do you think of my work?" ask, "Can you provide feedback on the clarity of my presentation slides?"
Create a Safe Environment:
Make it clear that you value feedback and that you're open to criticism. Encourage people to be honest by emphasizing that your goal is improvement, not judgment.
Avoid becoming defensive when receiving feedback, as this can discourage honest input.
Use 360-Degree Feedback:
In professional settings, 360-degree feedback involves gathering feedback from various sources, including supervisors, peers, subordinates, and self-assessments. This comprehensive approach can provide a more balanced view of your performance.
Seek Diverse Perspectives:
Collect feedback from a diverse group of people with different backgrounds and experiences. Diverse perspectives can help you gain a more well-rounded understanding of the subject.
Consider Timing:
Timing matters. Request feedback when people have had a chance to observe or experience what you're seeking feedback on. Don't rush the process.
Use Feedback Surveys:
In structured environments, such as workplaces, anonymous feedback surveys can be an effective way to collect unbiased input. Ensure the surveys are designed to gather specific and actionable feedback.
Follow Up:
After receiving feedback, consider following up with your feedback providers. Clarify any points that are unclear, and thank them for their input. This demonstrates your commitment to improvement.
Reflect and Act:
Act on the feedback you receive. Show that you value it by making changes or improvements based on the feedback.
Regularly reflect on the feedback you receive and track your progress over time.
Develop a Feedback Culture:
In organizational settings, foster a culture where feedback is encouraged and normalized. When feedback is a regular part of the culture, people are more likely to provide honest input.
Be Patient and Persistent:
Building a reputation for seeking and acting on feedback takes time. Be patient and persistent in your efforts to create a feedback-friendly environment.
Remember that even when seeking unbiased feedback, some level of bias or subjectivity may still exist. The goal is to minimize bias and create an environment where people feel comfortable providing honest and constructive feedback to help you grow and improve.
From this conversation and some recent insights, a new idea is born.
I didn’t come here to Substack to build a business … which is somewhat odd since I have a long history with and proclivity toward entrepreneurial adventures. What I began to see after being here for awhile was the all-too-typical out-of-balance mindset between creativity and commerce. While some Substack writers have brilliantly, or inadvertently, created thriving newsletters, others are floundering, too often not because of the lack of writing skills and talents, but because of a lack of understanding of what it takes to build a creative, commercial enterprise.
Years ago, I retired from working for other people; and, more recently retired (or rather was retired by the downturn of 2008) from the 24/7 job of running my own company. It wasn’t till coming to Substack and seeing the difficulties writers were having connecting with their readers in a commercial sense, that I began to be pulled into the idea of putting retirement on the back burner and trying to help.
I still don’t want to create a business, but I want Substack to succeed (Full Disclosure: I bought $100 worth of Substack stock) and I want the writers here to succeed. I see a great need for feedback and for actionable strategies and developing Substacks that speak to those strategies and to readers. I thought I could accomplish a lot of that with the Substack Field Guide linking Substack features and elements to a proven Reader Engagement Process. Now, I believe the process needs to be more hands on to be effective.
So, I’ve decided to create a Substack Mentor Network designed to help emerging Substack authors reach their goals. This will involve, primarily, helping writers articulate their goals and strategies, build out their Substack structure in a way that supports their goals and entices readers, and offers trusted feedback along the way.
This will not be a one-off webinar. Since I am not trying to build a writing business, I am available so I will be personally mentoring authors until other qualified mentors have been identified.
And, obviously, more details are coming. If you are interested in the concept, feel free to email me at jwycoff@gratitudemojo.com.