Should everyone have a say? Debunking the feedback fallacy
Imagine this: your perfectly crafted document or design gets hit with a comment avalanche. Different voices, different opinions, all dissecting every pixel and comma – some insightful, some contradictory, and some frankly nonsensical.
Do you think, "Wow, they're so invested they're giving me everything they've got!" Or are you feeling more like a drowning sailor, overwhelmed by a sea of (sometimes conflicting) advice?
Imagine Leonardo da Vinci bombarded with unsolicited advice on the Mona Lisa. Would constant revisions have resulted in a masterpiece, or would his creative vision have been muted?
The Mona Lisa's enduring legacy wouldn't exist if every suggestion swayed da Vinci's vision. And Louvre Museum would have had to opt for a different tourist attraction.
The truth is, even geniuses receive feedback, and the key lies in using it strategically to refine, not replace, their vision.
Why Feedback Matters
We all fall in love with our creations, be it a product, a design, a solution or a work of art. It's like a painting we've spent hours on, nose pressed to the canvas. We miss the glaring typos, the confusing navigation, the features nobody actually wants.
It's like being so close to a painting you can't see the whole picture.
Feedback, my friend, is stepping back and seeing the whole damn masterpiece. It's about showing your creation to experts, like a team of consultants, and asking crucial questions:
Think of it like raising a child. You wouldn't make parenting decisions in a vacuum, right? You'd seek advice from other parents, get insights from teachers, or consult with a doctor. Feedback is that trusted network for your creation, helping it reach its full potential.
The Feedback Trap
Feedback is crucial for improvement, but it can be a double-edged sword. Unfiltered critiques, especially from multiple voices, can be paralyzing.
Though feedback matters, not all feedback is created equal. Some "experts" are just tourists in your territory. Everyone has something to say, period. Some even inject criticism as a way to showcase their intelligent, that they’re a higher being, with zero evidence and reasonable arguements (look at the ZEBRA in my previous article).
Their advice? A recipe for mediocrity.
And let's face it, our ego can be a fragile thing. Harsh criticism can make us want to curl up and hide our creation forever.
Even with good intentions
Sometimes, you may work with people who mean well, thinking: “Everyone should have an equal chance to comment and give feedback.” This can be good as it encourages participation, giving everyone a sense of ownership to the product they contributed to. But it can also be bad.
For example, a recent LinkedIn post sparked a discussion about the challenges of collaborative writing in Google Docs. The metaphor of "30 elephants in the room" leaving comments perfectly captures the potential for chaos and disruption. Just imagine baking a cake while everyone keeps suggesting changes to the recipe mid-process.
An ocean of comments can make the review process endless, keeping you in an editing loop.
Turn on the Feedback Filter
With the dark sides of feedbacks in mind, let’s move on to how we deal with them. Feedback can be bad, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore them entirely.
Most of my achievements were made through setting my ego aside and opening up for improvements. It does hurt sometimes, but the end goal is beyond my initial imagination.
As recommended by John Barret, you might filter feedbacks by asking these important questions:
These questions can be hard to answer, so allow me to elaborate a bit further.
Who said it?
First, the person giving feedback needs to be credible. Meaning they have expertise and know what they’re talking about, not some gibberish trying to sound intellectual.
They may also be the decision maker (highest paid person) in the room, who takes ownership in the project you’re working on. If you’re the decision maker, perfect!
Listen to the person with power, the one with expertise, and the end-user if possible (expert in their own experiences).
Sometimes, their opinions may as well conflict. Which is when you step in to evaluate points of conflicts, and make suggestions based on the project short and long term goals.
What was said?
Feedback can be a fog bomb, distracting you from what matters. An evaluation is needed to identity what’s relevant.
You can receive personal opinions from one or a few people, but you’ll be making decisions impacting a larger poll of audience.
My former Head of Design once told me, as we prepare for customer interviews, to identify insights from bias and consumption.
A big red flag to avoid would be people speaking on behalf of another, with their own assumptions: “This comment is not for me, but I think people who are [description] would prefer [personal suggestion]”.
Remember, everything is an assumption before proven with evidence. And even proven facts have an expiry date. (More on this in another article.)
Why was it said?
Do not blindly follow feedback, and try to understand the rationale behind those comments.
Feedback can be destructive, as you may have already been well aware. Destructive criticism attacks you personally, is often a one-sided blame-game, based on personal biases and suggests no room for improvement. It can be merely an assumption-based advice, even with, again, good intentions.
Signs of constructive feedbacks:
If you want to give meaningful feedback, this is also a good guide to start - with constructive comments and suggestions.
How many times has it been said?
Consistent feedback from multiple sources is a strong indication that there may be an area for improvement that needs to be addressed.
If the feedback you are receiving is new and has never been communicated by anyone else, you need to factor that in as well.
It certainly does not discredit the feedback, it is just an indicator of how important or urgent your response to the feedback should be. Pay attention to how often you receive similar feedback.
What now?
First things first. Don’t take feedback personally. Embrace the feedback - it’s a map showing you the way to improvement.
Once a feedback pass through this filter, take them in consideration and map out a plan to clarify the root cause with the 5 Whys Method or any research practices. Then, proceed with ideation for a SMART action plan.
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