Feedback is key to learning and improvement

Some books may have been written years ago, but as I browsed through them, I found that they still make much sense today. More so, the book written by The Dean of Modern-Day Management, Peter Drucker, says: “To know one’s strengths, to understand how to improve them, and to know what one cannot do are the keys to continual learning.” In his old book Drucker on Asia, this is what he says:

Whenever a Jesuit priest or a Calvinist pastor does anything significant (for instance, making an essential decision), he is expected to write down what results he anticipates. Nine months later, he then feeds back from the actual results to these anticipations. This very soon shows him what he did well and his strengths. It also shows him what he is not gifted for and cannot do well.

And then Drucker says: I have followed this method myself, now for 50 years. It brings out what one’s strengths are – and this is the most important thing an individual can know about themself. It brings out where improvement is needed and what kind of improvement is needed.

Finally, it reveals what an individual cannot and should not even try to do. Knowing one’s strengths, how to improve them, and what one cannot do are the keys to continuous learning. Feedback, then, is key to continuous learning.

But if feedback is as effective as it is, then why are not many people doing it? There are three fears to watch out for. These fears are so prevalent in the workplace:

Fear of change. Feedback makes us see what we need to hold on to and what we need to discard. Not knowing gives us a good excuse for resisting the status quo. But feedback lets us know. And so, we are compelled to take action and leave familiar territory, chart unknown waters, break our tradition, and sacrifice external security. All these causes great fear to many who would rather stay where they are. Letting go of our familiar handles is not an easy thing to do. So, some people remain happily ignorant, which is not very good. Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is deadly. I have heard somebody say that there are three certainties in a person’s life:

Death: All life on this planet ends.

Taxes: The reason why some life ends. (intended to be funny)

Change: Some people can handle the first and second with relative ease compared to this one.

Fear of rejection. This fear is all too familiar. When we are rejected, we feel like we are made a fool or failure in the sight of the presence of other people. Some people take this as a learning experience and move on, while others take it as a personal affront. Rather than having honest feedback, some people prefer not to have any at all.

Fear of being successful. His fear is mysterious. Success is heavy. It brings a lot more responsibilities. There may be a feeling of inadequacy – the sense that we don’t deserve to achieve. Then we combine this with a heavy dosage of guilt and negative emotions when we do better than expected. Some people would rather fail. Why? Because they hit it every day and are used to it. Being successful brings in more challenges, more unknown people, and tasks. And here is the heaviest burden of them all… sustaining one’s success.

But here is what you and I can do:

Be honest and list our strengths and the steps we are taking to improve them.

Face the challenges, and do not be afraid of fear.

Fight fear with faith, reminding ourselves that we have been blessed with our unique strength DNA because we are called to fulfill our unique mission in life.

Do it all for God’s Glory, but evaluate ourselves honestly.

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