It’s often said that feedback is a gift. But the truth is—feedback is an investment.
A colleague and I recently received feedback from a client about a session we had facilitated that did not meet their expectations. The client reported that participants were not adequately engaged by the content and that we didn’t leave enough room for discussion. They even complained about our choice of closing music. (I guess not everyone appreciates Kelly Clarkson.) The feedback was thoughtfully delivered, but it still hit hard. I took a few deep breaths, thanked the client and discussed how to improve the next session. My colleague and I incorporated the feedback into our next workshop plan, and they loved it. Their critical feedback was key to our success.
If someone cares enough about you to give you feedback, it is a sign that they care about the relationship. Our client was able to deliver important critical feedback to us because we had built a foundation of trust. We had been working with them for more than a year, conducting workshops, having frequent calls, getting to know one another as professionals and as human beings. We had also invested in the relationship in big and small ways. This meant that when we stumbled, our client did not see us as just another vendor who could be easily replaced. Instead, they came to us and shared their concerns. And though the feedback was a bit painful, it helped us grow and strengthen the relationship.
For many people, the investment of giving critical feedback feels risky. A 2017 study of managers, whose job it is to give feedback, found that 44% report discomfort giving negative feedback and 21% avoid it. Why? In my experience conducting feedback trainings, many professionals express fear that they will encounter defensiveness, worry that the feedback will damage the relationship, and hopelessness about people’s ability to change. These perceived risks are a lot to overcome.
So if someone who is not required to give you feedback takes the risk of offering you what Warren Buffet calls the “very expensive gift” of honesty and gives you critical feedback, they are signaling that (1) the issue matters to them, (2) the relationship matters to them, and (3) they believe—or at least hope—that improvement is possible. That is good news.
Getting critical feedback stings. When someone tells you that something you did harmed them or bugged them or didn’t work for them, it is natural to feel embarrassed, hurt or defensive. But there is something even worse than getting critical feedback about a blind spot: when someone withholds important feedback, denying you the opportunity to learn, improve and repair. So the next time someone gives you critical feedback, even if it stings, remember that it signals that they are investing some of their personal capital in you. Really listen with curiosity. How can you make their investment pay off for both of you?
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 100 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in base metal and utility stocks, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 103.40 points at 24,542.48.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 192.31 points at 42,932.73. The S&P 500 index was up 7.14 points at 5,822.40, while the Nasdaq composite was down 9.03 points at 18,306.56.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.61 cents US compared with 72.44 cents US on Tuesday.
The November crude oil contract was down 71 cents at US$69.87 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was down eight cents at US$2.42 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$7.20 at US$2,686.10 an ounce and the December copper contract was up a penny at US$4.35 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 200 points in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were also headed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 205.86 points at 24,508.12.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 336.62 points at 42,790.74. The S&P 500 index was up 34.19 points at 5,814.24, while the Nasdaq composite was up 60.27 points at 18.342.32.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.61 cents US compared with 72.71 cents US on Thursday.
The November crude oil contract was down 15 cents at US$75.70 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was down two cents at US$2.65 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$29.60 at US$2,668.90 an ounce and the December copper contract was up four cents at US$4.47 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 11, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was little changed in late-morning trading as the financial sector fell, but energy and base metal stocks moved higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 0.05 of a point at 24,224.95.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 94.31 points at 42,417.69. The S&P 500 index was down 10.91 points at 5,781.13, while the Nasdaq composite was down 29.59 points at 18,262.03.
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.71 cents US compared with 73.05 cents US on Wednesday.
The November crude oil contract was up US$1.69 at US$74.93 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was up a penny at US$2.67 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$14.70 at US$2,640.70 an ounce and the December copper contract was up two cents at US$4.42 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 10, 2024.
