A.I.M Model From Feedback to FeedForward: A Shift in Personal and Professional Growth

In the landscape of personal and professional development, the concepts of feedback and feedforward serve as guiding pillars. Both are valuable tools, and they represent different approaches to fostering growth. To truly understand the evolving shift from feedback to feedforward, we need to unpack these terms, supported by current research and practical examples.

The Power and Pitfalls of Feedback

Traditionally, feedback has been the cornerstone of personal and professional growth. It involves a retrospective review of actions and results against certain benchmarks, providing individuals with insights into their performance. The intention is to guide the recipient towards improved future performance by reflecting on past actions. Feedback, when provided effectively, can lead to significant improvements. For instance, a study by Kluger & DeNisi (1996) found that feedback can improve performance by up to 34%.

Feedback also has its drawbacks. Its retrospective nature often means it's delivered too late to correct the issue at hand. Moreover, negative feedback can lead to defensiveness and can demotivate rather than inspire improvement. According to a study published in the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, negative feedback can actually lead to reduced performance, as it often demoralizes individuals rather than motivates them to improve.

The Emergence of FeedForward

While feedback is rooted in the past, feedforward offers a shift towards a future-focused approach. It's centred around potential improvements and future performance rather than past actions.

As per Wikipedia "Feedforward was coined in 1976 by?Peter W.?Dowrick. Feedforward in behavioural and cognitive science may be defined as "images of adaptive future behaviour, hitherto not mastered"; images capable of triggering that behaviour in a challenging context."

As the name suggests, feedforward is all about moving forward. A study by Ashford, Blatt, and VandeWalle (2003) found that individuals are more receptive to and less defensive about, future-focused feedforward compared to feedback about past performance. The researchers attribute this difference to the less evaluative and non-threatening nature of feedforward.

Feedforward provides actionable suggestions for future improvement, setting a roadmap to future success, rather than dwelling on past mistakes. This methodology is more solution-oriented, emphasizing constructive guidance rather than criticism. For example, Google's re:Work project, which used data from thousands of employee reviews, found that people responded better to criticism when it was framed as guidance/ recommendation/ suggestion for the future – the essence of feedforward.

From Feedback to FeedForward: The AIM Model

As we shift from feedback to a feedforward mindset, it's essential to have a structured approach that can guide this transformation. A simple yet effective model for feedforward is the AIM model – Aspire, Investigate, and Move.

Aspire - In the 'Aspire' stage, individuals or teams define their future-oriented goals or the desired outcome. These aspirations should be clear, measurable, and inspiring, providing a solid direction for future progress.

Investigate - During the 'Investigate' phase, a thorough exploration of the strategies, behaviours, or skills that will help achieve the aspirations is conducted. This involves examining each option critically and objectively, understanding its merits, feasibility, and potential impact on the desired outcome.

Move - The 'Move' stage involves initiating and maintaining forward momentum towards the aspirations. After investigating and identifying the right strategies, it's time to put those plans into action. 'Move' represents action, progress, and the journey towards achieving the goals set in the 'Aspire' phase.

The transition from feedback to feedforward marks a pivotal shift in the dynamics of personal and professional growth. By focusing on future potential, feedforward can enable a more proactive, positive, and growth-oriented approach.

The AIM model - Aspire, Investigate, and Move - underscores the critical steps in the FeedForward process, providing a dynamic and action-oriented framework for future-focused growth.

The adoption of feedforward, with its future-oriented, constructive focus, presents a significant opportunity for individuals and organizations to foster a more empowered and growth-minded culture.

Unlike feedback, which often dwells on past performance and may lead to defensiveness, feedforward fosters a mindset of continual improvement and development. By concentrating on future potential and actionable strategies for growth, feedforward opens up a proactive path to personal and professional advancement.

The AIM model – Aspire, Investigate, Move – offers a structured approach to implementing feedforward. It emphasizes the importance of setting aspirational goals, exploring potential pathways to those goals, and taking decisive action. This model can serve as a roadmap for anyone seeking to apply feedforward principles effectively.

In an ever-evolving world where adaptability and continual learning are key, feedforward provides the tools for individuals and organizations to stay ahead of the curve. By focusing on what can be, rather than what has been, we can all chart a course towards a more productive, innovative, and fulfilling future.

And that's the real power of the shift from feedback to feedforward. It's more than just a change in direction; it's a change in perspective - from looking back to looking ahead, from dwelling on mistakes to anticipating possibilities, and from being reactive to becoming proactive. It's about taking control of our growth journey, embracing potential, and relentlessly moving forward.

As we continue to explore and understand feedforward's potential, one thing is clear: our growth journey is a never-ending forward march, and every step we take in the right direction, no matter how small, brings us closer to our aspirations. With feedforward and the AIM model guiding our steps, we're well-equipped for the journey ahead.