Feedback versus Criticism

 

 

As a schoolgirl, I received feedback from my teachers on classwork and homework. It was either an appreciation of the work or that there was room for improvement. I took the feedback very seriously, as my parents did, and acted upon it accordingly. “Keep it up” meant I was to continue producing work of the same quality or even better, and "could do better’ and “room for improvement” meant I had to still get my act together.

I appreciate the dedication of my teachers, who so painstakingly read and corrected my work and gave me feedback on it.

(I have preserved an answer paper marked by a favourite teacher and proudly display the picture.)

Well, the concept of judgement or criticism never occurred to me. Whatever they said was Gospel truth. The feedback continued in college and even when I was training to be a teacher during our practical lessons. All remarks, whether it was school, college, or the B.Ed., were made with that dreaded red ink pen.

Today, feedback has taken a different form. On social media, it comes in the form of likes, comments, shares, and reviews, and we unconsciously look forward to that validation.

The likes for a particular post may be few, a few comments may be nasty, or the post may catch no one’s eye.

The lack of attention towards a post may hurt, causing the person to question their self-worth or suffer a case of impostor syndrome.

Reviews, whether of books, plays, films, or paintings or any creative work, can be encouraging and constructive or harsh and critical.

Even oral feedback, when given respectfully, helps, but oral criticism can damage a person for life. 

 

How is criticism different from feedback?

Criticism is generally delivered in a harsh and negative manner and focuses on faults and disapproval, while feedback is encouraging, gently speaking of improvement, suggesting, and helping a person learn and grow. Feedback is of a calm and respectful tone.

We must receive feedback with an open mind. Hear the suggestions. We needn’t practice all of them, but look for the grain of truth in criticism.  

How we receive feedback and criticism may change with age. The passing years may not mellow all of us, but we might sit with the feedback, reflect on it, and learn whatever is worth learning, rather than reacting rashly. We may not even take any criticism too seriously and simply forget about it or laugh it off. 

As a writer and a lector in church, I’ve received feedback aplenty and appreciated the positive comments, tried to learn from thoughtful suggestions, and once in a while been disappointed by unnecessarily harsh comments written or said.

In a nutshell, when feedback is encouraging, it helps you learn and grow, whereas harsh criticism is unappreciated and doesn’t contribute.

This post is part of the weekly blogchatterbloghop challenge.