Have you ever had your boss, supervisor, friend, family member or even someone that you barely know give you feedback? Sometimes, it can be frustrating or demoralizing to receive negative feedback, but you likely can appreciate that it can be uplifting when you receive positive feedback. However, regardless of the type of feedback you receive (i.e. negative or positive), feedback is very important. How? Well, continue to read this article to find out.
What is feedback?
Before we begin, it is important to understand just exactly what feedback is. While this may seem obvious to you, you may or may not realize that we receive feedback all the time. This is because there are many types of feedback. For instance, there is unintentional (i.e., they do not have a planned intention in mind when they are giving you the feedback, they just react). Also, there is intentional feedback, which is when the feedback given to us from and by other people has a purpose (e.g., perhaps the purpose is to improve your customer service relations skills). Also, there is criticism, which some people may find damaging. Now we will move onto discussing the importance of all forms and types of feedback …
Feedback can improve performance
It is important not to mistake constructive criticism with negative criticism. This is because what we can sometimes mistake as negative criticism is actually feedback that is meant to help us, so that we can improve and better perform. This can best be illustrated in your place of work most likely. At work, the business, company, or organization that you work for will likely want to do all that they can to improve sales or profitability. As such, they will want all their employees to be at the top of their game. So, if you are caught slacking or not performing as well as you could or should be, then you may have received some constructive criticism (aka feedback to help you improve).
Feedback can help you learn
Everybody makes mistakes and everybody can always improve on something, which is why feedback is important, as it can help you learn. If you are always used to doing a task, for example, in a certain way but then someone gives you feedback on how to improve and do the task more efficiently, then you have learned something new. So, we all need to receive feedback from others every now and again so that we can learn, grow, and adapt.
So, when you are learning about the difference between assisted living and independent living, for example, receiving some feedback on the choices and options that are available can be beneficial and help you make the best, informed decision.
Feedback can help motivate you
Additionally, receiving feedback is important because it can help to motivate you. If you receive feedback, for example, on your communication skills, you may feel more motivated to improve them because someone has brought it up. You most likely wouldn’t have known if someone did not give you feedback.