Feedback Strategies

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Image caption: two animated people with feedback written on top

 This week we had to read two articles about giving feedback! I chose to read Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job!" and How to Give Bad Feedback Without Being a Jerk.

I first read Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job!". It made me realise I was definitely a child that was told "good job" too much, I grew up needing the praise from others and wanting to please. I don't think it was done on purpose, I think my parents or teachers genuinely thought it was helping me. To this day I think I still am affected by it and do like to be told I'm doing something well. It's something I'm trying to work on and something that I cringe at when I realise what's happening. 

I really did learn a lot throughout the article and it made me realise why saying "good job" is not a great thing, even for adults. I really liked the suggestions instead of saying "good job!" Especially the last suggestion on talking less and asking more, it really does make a lot of sense.

The second article was How to Give Bad Feedback Without Being a Jerk. I myself wouldn’t be great at giving feedback. I don’t want to tell people something and hurt their feelings. Especially if it’s not too great but they’ve poured their heart into it. It’s just not me. I think it goes back to I wouldn’t want people to do it to me. Reading this article I think I definitely learned points from it. I really liked the method of taking yourself off the pedestal, and again I think if someone was to break bad feedback to me that way it wouldn’t hurt as much as it sounds like they really want to help and understand where I’m coming from. Another thing I liked about the article was to be as transparent as possible and not to be manipulative.

Overall I think I learned a lot about giving feedback and hopefully, I will now be able to put these into place when it comes to giving feedback from now on. I looked forward to week 5’s feedback task and have seen that we have to give feedback to people in the class so I will be putting it into effect sooner than I thought! I am nervous but will definitely be looking back at the different articles I have read for tips!