Alex's Epics of India Blog

I work as a Writing Assistant in the OU Honors College, and I had to take a full semester-long class which dealt largely in giving constructive -- not always positive -- feedback on writing. That said, I thought these articles were interesting and helpful still. Feedback should be mutual! Source . 1. Be a Mirror: Give Readers Feedback That Fosters a Growth Mindset The important takeaway from this article is the list of five strategies to foster a growth mindset and give good feedback: (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. These are all good suggestions, and putting them all together paints a cohesive picture of what good, constructive feedback is. As the one receiving feedback, I would really appreciate these strategies being followed. 2. Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise? One of the things that struck me about this article was that many ma...

In terms of the feedback I have received in the past and my views on feedback in general, I think the most effective form of feedback is semi-negative (constructive criticism) in written form, followed up by positive reinforcement. Tou gh constructive criticism on paper and encouraging advice in person have been the most effective motivators for me to improve my writing (which is the lens through which I am examining feedback--as an English major, almost all the feedback I receive is on essays). In sports in high school, I was never quite good enough to warrant any sort of scathing negative feedback. Kind of sad, but I was a very mediocre cross country and track runner. All the feedback I received there was positive, both from my coaches and from my peers, and I loved both sports despite my incredible mediocrity. The two articles I chose are: Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head : This article, appearing in the Harvard Business Review , emphasized noticing positive feedb...