Feedback in and out

Feedback: the most valuable gift any professional can get. It goes without saying that any feedback should be positive and meaningful in order to be constructive. But to me, feedback is mostly based on something else: our attitude and our willingness to listen.

In fact, the feedback is not that rare a gift. I just believe that in most cases we just hear but we do not listen and we just look without actually seeing anything. First and foremost, the most important feedback comes from the inside. We all know what we do very well and what not. What is the reason to look for it on the outside and not make the most on the inside.

I know that the inner critic is very serious. And I believe that this is really its most valuable attribute. Giving feedback is a serious business after all.

I have also come to know that the inner critic can be a bit harsh at times. Not always, but it does happen. That does not mean we will miss out on the opportunity to listen to what s/he has to say. It may just mean that we will keep the points that "feel" most important to us and then look for "outer critics" we trust, to form a rounded opinion.

This process will guarantee that we will seek outside feedback on what really matters, on the points we feel are critical to us. Therefore the comments will be targetted and the steps we will take based on the feedback, will help us "calm down" the inner critic who can be quite loud at times. 

Until next week take good care of your career.