The Feedback Gallery on Canvas is a great resource for comparing
the types of feedback that is most productive for the purposes of this class. I
find myself (1) asking questions and (2) showing appreciation for the details
most often. Incorporating specific suggestions and helping my peers re-evaluate
their work for weaknesses are things I will have to start trying in the weeks
to come since I am doing my assignments all out of order and thus have
completed all my comments for the week. I think I am a better reader than I
am a writer but like they say, teaching is learning. By pointing out what could
be improved in another’s writing, maybe and hopefully it will translate into my
own work.
“Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise?” by Jack
Zenger and Joseph Folkman
I had a boss who was held in contempt by my coworkers who
hated his proclivity for “micro-managing.” Some people felt he was “picking on
them,” but he was a prime example of a leader rather than a boss. While it was
easy to befriend the easy-going supervisor that wanted to befriend everyone, I was
more compelled to earn the favor of the hard-headed and harder-to-please boss
since his praise held more weight. Not only was there never a job he wasn’t
willing to show you how to do himself, there was something special about getting even a
half-positive evaluation from him. What Zenger and Folkman said in this article
about people being worried about coming down on their employees too hard, it makes
me realize the motivation behind my two bosses’ styles was the same— they wanted
respect. Like the authors said of other managers self-assessments, some who
felt “they just wanted to get it over quickly” and “they don’t pay me enough to
do this job,” don’t want to be invested in a real way because they seem to not
want to make enemies. In my experience, those who don’t care about a job would
take personally and project back any criticism from a boss with a bad review. However,
to earn due respect some balance must be had between busting butts and giving
passes.
“The Trouble with “Amazing”: Giving Praise that Matters”
by Jennifer Gonzalez
I’m glad I selected this article addressing the problems with
unnecessarily hyperbolic praise. As an unapologetic people-pleaser, I am super
guilty of using insincere superlative language when speaking to others. As a sensitive,
insecure person by nature, I have an innate reflex of sparing others’ feelings
in a way I would wish for myself. The story she shared at the start about her disingenuously
peppy substitute instructor was so real and relatable. No one wants to be patronized
by some pretentious, condescending person who can’t disguise their feelings of
superiority when providing feedback. I liked Gonzalez’s point that constructive
advice is somewhere between “Paula” praise and Simon Cowell criticism, for
those familiar with the singing competition American Idol. To avoid “fluffy”
feedback, Gonzalez says adopting more specific and actionable suggestions is
often a springboard enough for a person to come away from a critique with
something practical to put to practice the next time. This makes me reflect on
my most memorable and admirable teachers since now I feel compelled to psychoanalyze
them—were they prone to empty compliments? From what I can recall, my very
favorite teacher was a bit of a flatterer but would conference with his students
individually to edit papers which was always an anxious event since this was
when he would pick apart your work and make you re-write it. My ceramics
teacher, too, was what the kids today would call “savage.” We only had one
wheel for throwing pots at our small, under-funded school which was for special
projects—I earned this place with my declaration that I would attempt to make a
thimble (the finger/thumb cover to prevent pricking yourself with the needle
while sewing). Who knew this tiny thing would be so hard to make? With every
attempt, my teacher would smash it and make me remake it over and over until I
made a perfectly proportioned little cup for finger protection! Somehow,
impressing him after several tries gave me more pride than had he accepted my
first.
(Image Source: Pixabay Stock Photos)
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