Feedback Thoughts

Feedback! Sometimes hard to hear, yet often helpful. I read two articles this week about feedback and overcoming negativity. The first article I read was entitled "How to Get Past Negativity Bias in Order to Hardwire Positive Experiences" by Katrina Schwartz from KQED news. The article discussed how our brains are naturally more receptive to negative feedback than positive feedback. However, we can begin to adjust the impact of this neural trait. One solution is the "HEAL" method, promoted by Psychologist Rick Hanson, that focuses on championing positive experiences.

The next article I read was "Why It’s So Hard to Hear Negative Feedback" by Tim Herrera from the New York Times. The article discusses the need to receive feedback without succumbing to anxiety or simply avoiding feedback altogether. The author offers a powerful solution for workplace feedback: "The solution to this problem on both sides—whether you’re receiving the feedback or giving it—boils down to trusting that everyone is participating in good faith." This was an interesting solution that could be helpful in many settings, especially professional ones.

Receiving negative feedback in college can be difficult. Yet it happens for all of us at some point, whether coming from a professor, friend, or mentor. Learning how to accept negative feedback and channel it into positive results and healthier reactions is a valuable skill.

Visual representation of a feedback loop. Source: Wikimedia