Feedback Strategies

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One thing I have never been able top master is how to give bad feedback without sounding like a jerk. Making criticism sound constructive can be hard for a person, especially if it's between peers and students. It can be different and more professional in a lecturer to student situation, the student understands the lecturer has their best intentions and wants to help the student achieve their goal for an assignment or project. But in a peer to peer situation it can be extremely difficult to give criticism without sounding like a bad person or being rude. Reading "How to give bad feedback without being a jerk" By Adam Grant, I was able to find multiple ways to give constructive criticism to a peer or work colleague without being rude or sounding negative. 

1. Explain why you're giving the feedback
2. Take yourself off a pedestal
3. Ask if the person wants the feedback
4. Have a transparent dialogue not a manipulative monologue 

These steps can help someone give the right and proper feedback, without all the excess negativity attached to giving any kind of feedback. This will definitely help me in future giving both positive and negative feedback to my peers or colleagues in the work place. 

Continuing my reading, the article "Be a mirror: give readers feedback that fosters a growth mindset", I explored some interesting points regarding how your m mindset is an important part in a persons abilities. Developing a mindset that gives room for mistakes, struggle, hard work, and opportunities for problem solving are all important parts of the learning process. Especially in regard to a persons reading ability, harbouring this mindset develops ownership and independence for a person, which is valuable in the working world. 

In terms of giving feedback, the idea of being "a mirror" to someone can help develop the skills of a growth mindset. A mirrors job is to reflect back what is there without judgement, taking on a role that fosters a view of reading with a growth based lens. There are five qualities of feedback that foster a growth mindset with readers. 

1. Be specific
2. Focus on what the reader is doing
3. Focus on the process
4. Make sure it can transfer 
5. Take yourself out of the feedback