Criticism is an important part of our lives. Without criticism, we would never know right from wrong, and the good from the bad. All said, and done, however, it is not easy to take criticism, even when it is said in the best of intentions. Feedback, also called constructive criticism, is the reaction an action receives from its target group, which helps one decide whether the action was good or not, and how it can be improved. Of course, this is not an easy process; hearing one’s efforts did not produce the best results can be pretty hard to take. However, it is also extremely important to take criticism the right way and learn how to improve.
Why feedback is essential?
In this article, let us find out why feedback is important to us.
It helps us improve
Good criticism doesn’t simply tell us whether we are right or wrong; it shows us exactly where we went wrong, applauds our strengths, and provides helpful tips for improvement. For instance, let us say you create a story. Good criticism will tell you that the plot is good, but the execution could be better. It will provide examples of stories that you could read to get ideas on how to make the story more interesting. If you take the feedback in your stride and work on it, you will be better able to improve on your story-writing skills, and deliver a far more satisfactory piece.
It is a good motivator
Constructive criticism, if taken in the right spirit, is a great motivator. Feedback doesn’t just point out our flaws, it also tells us when and how we are doing something right. It would be impossible to carry on doing something when you have no idea whether you are doing it right or wrong. This applies everywhere- from your professional life, where feedback gives you the boost to do better, to your personal life, where feedback lets you know whether you are doing the right things to keep your relationships flourishing. In a nutshell, constructive criticism is what helps you stay on your toes and keep your life going on the right track.
It’s a parameter of your skills
When you get feedback, you know how you performed. You know that irrespective of what you thought at the time, your performance was either up to the mark, or you need to step up your game. If you keep making changes after the feedback, and the suggestions for improvement keep coming, you know that you are doing something gravely wrong, and that a change in the basics is necessary. On the other hand, if your product sells like hot cakes and leaves customers gushing, you know your efforts were spot on.
Boosts communication with customers
In the business world, feedback is a great way of communicating with customers. People who are buying the products want to voice their opinions, and it creates a good impression when the company makes changes in accordance to their customers’ concerns. Similarly, customer feedback is the best way of judging whether a product is doing well, and which sector of the population is most comfortable with the product.
It discourages stagnation
Every time you receive feedback on something, there is always some suggestion of improvement. And in order to make those improvements, you have to learn something new. For instance, if you are an actor and get rejected from a role because you cannot play the guitar, you must learn to play the guitar to bag a similar role the next time. Hence, you learn something new in the process, making you more qualified. Again, when a product keeps failing in the market with negative feedback, the company must think of something innovative to lure its customers in, something that is out of the box.
Boosts personal growth
Learning to deal with feedback is not an easy thing to do. When you believe you have put in your best, and the output does not meet with the desired reaction, it may be a hard hit. But feedback is important, and learning to deal with it is one of the biggest lessons of life. Besides, when we are faced with the requirement to improve our performance on receiving the criticism, we often need to learn new things, and hone our existing arsenal of skills. Criticism, thus, keeps alive the constant drive for self-improvement.
Feedback or constructive criticism is something that we all need in our lives in order to go on. It is only through criticism that we learn to grow and improve, and bring about necessary change. It is important to embrace criticism in every aspect of our lives- be it personal or professional.