It is the corporate season for feedback. I know the timing may sound odd. One needs to remember that I work for a group headquartered down under. Many things operate on a difference cycle.
In receiving and giving feedback, I find myself in a conflicting position. Feedback includes good news as well as opportunities that one can work on. There are common questions that come up before each meeting. Are both or either sides interested in candid, transparent views? If not, what type of feedback is one looking to give or receive? What do the parties want to happen?
As difficult as it can be, I see feedback as a valuable gift. Without it, I walk with a more narrow vision. With it, there is an opportunity to take a different step. I try to assure my reviewers that this is the case, however I am not always sure that what I am hearing is from their heart.
The flipside is problematic. Does the receiver really want feedback? Is their goal to feel good? Are they interested in growing? Do they want to be more than what they are today?
As I prepare to share my views, I find myself remembering an old mantra. Hearing feedback fully means something changes. Life as it was ceases to exist. One hears, understands, and then moves forward in the context of greater awareness. The outcome can be described differently. From a spiritual perspective, “the way we know we’ve been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn’t love is as good as dead.” (1 John 3.14) From a work perspective, show me the money! Let me see a change in words and actions.
The question lingers, does the individual want to change?
As I prepare today for another one, I find myself looking in the mirror. Feedback comes in many ways. One does not have to wait until a formal appointment. One can listen, see to hear, ask and reflect, and then act in the knowledge that life shares with us.
