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Fear of feedback.

Jay M Jackman1, Myra H Strober

  • 1Stanford University's School of Education, USA. jayj@stanfordalumni.org

Harvard Business Review
|April 12, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Overcoming the fear of performance feedback is crucial for career advancement. Learning adaptive techniques and seeking regular feedback can transform destructive responses into constructive growth, benefiting both employees and organizations.

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Area of Science:

  • Organizational Psychology
  • Human Resources Management
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Performance reviews are often dreaded due to fear of criticism, leading to communication avoidance.
  • Many professionals avoid seeking feedback, fearing negative reactions and instead resort to guesswork.
  • This feedback avoidance can result in maladaptive behaviors like procrastination and self-sabotage.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the psychological barriers to seeking and receiving performance feedback.
  • To provide adaptive techniques for managing fear and criticism constructively.
  • To outline a process for individuals to effectively seek and act on feedback.

Main Methods:

  • The study draws on the authors' experience with executives and employees.
  • It identifies common maladaptive behaviors associated with feedback avoidance.
  • It proposes a four-step process for seeking and utilizing feedback: self-assessment, external assessment, feedback absorption, and action planning.

Main Results:

  • Individuals can overcome destructive responses to feedback by acknowledging emotions, reframing criticism, setting goals, and building support systems.
  • Implementing adaptive techniques enables individuals to engage more effectively with feedback.
  • Organizations benefit from improved employee performance and a more open feedback culture when employees actively seek and process feedback.

Conclusions:

  • Learning to manage feedback constructively is essential for personal career development and professional growth.
  • A structured approach to seeking and processing feedback can mitigate negative psychological responses.
  • Fostering a feedback-positive environment enhances organizational alignment and overall performance.

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