In our last posts, we identified the common antecedents of flow to be:
- task variety
- autonomy
- job feedback
- task identity
- task significance
We explored the crucial roles of task variety and autonomy in cultivating flow. Today, let’s look at job feedback.
Plants need water to grow. Our work needs feedback.
Feedback helps us to understand what impact our work is having (or not having), where we have strengths and where we need growth, and can walk us through the process of refinement.
I once heard it described as a compass helping us stay on course for achieving our goals.
Feedback and Flow: A Powerful Synergy
Feedback isn’t just about identifying errors. When delivered effectively:
- Feedback increases self-awareness by helping us to see our strengths, weaknesses, and those pesky blind spots. With self-awareness, we then have a clearer idea of how we affect others.
- Feedback reinforces our efforts and therefore motivates us to keep going! (We are talking about GETTING feedback that is CONSTRUCTIVE and RECEIVING this with a growth mindset!
- Feedback deepens engagement if it shows us that our work has impact and/or results in recognition for our efforts. This often leaves us feeling more connected and invested.
- Feedback fosters a growth mindset. (So if you don’t yet have the growth mindset that we mentioned is helpful, receiving feedback can help you cultivate both flow AND feedback.) When one practices receiving constructive feedback a learning rather than a setback, a growth mindset is being developed.
Practical Strategies for Unlocking Flow with Feedback
- Seek feedback. Be proactive. Do not wait for an observation or performance review to roll around. Regularly seek feedback from colleagues, supervisors, clients, and even mentees. Ask their perspectives on your work, whether it’s a specific project or your overall contributions.
- Schedule brief but regular meetings or check-ins with your supervisor to discuss your progress.
- Utilize any feedback from clients to understand their specific experience and identify areas for improvement.
- Provide constructive feedback to others. By GIVING feedback you will be developing valuable feedback skills as well as creating a culture of respectful, productive, open communication and continuous improvement. (See this post for how to practice active listening.)
- Reflect on feedback received to identify the key takeaways and decide how to take action.
Overcoming Challenges to Effective Feedback
Addressing defensiveness
When we are receiving feedback, it is common to feel defensive. This comes from our brain’s natural response to protect us from a perceived threat. Our brain might initially think feedback is a challenge to our self-perception, abilities, or work. This is especially so if the feedback is quite critical and/or unexpected. Some strategies helpful in these moments are to practice active listening, ask clarifying questions, and focus on understanding the feedback rather than immediately reacting to it. (This doesn’t mean you are agreeing with it.)
Giving and receiving negative feedback
Negative feedback can be uncomfortable to give and to receive. Negative feedback can be hard to receive for a long list of reasons and identifying the reason specific to the experience you find yourself in may be helpful. Giving negative feedback requires both honesty and sensitivity. There is usually discomfort in being part of someone else’s distress.
Here are some quick tips for giving negative feedback effectively:
- Focus on specific behaviors or outcomes rather than general traits.
- Pair feedback with positive reinforcement to encourage growth.
- Emphasize how the feedback can lead to improvement or success.
- Consider the recipient’s perspective and how they might feel.
- Offer actionable suggestions to help the recipient improve.
- Deliver feedback privately and in a supportive tone.
Building a culture of feedback
Creating a culture of open and honest feedback takes time and effort.
Here are a few light ways to build the culture:
- Hold a book club that reads Growth Mindset by Carol Dweck.
- Lead by example. Model what you hope to see.
- Build feedback into client sessions.
- Celebrating successes.
A “feedback-rich environment” benefits everyone. Be patient and keep going.
Feedback is powerful fuel for flow. Feedback helps us to make continuous improvements, align with our goals, be part of the team, and recognize our impact. When embraced with a growth mindset, it deepens self-awareness, reinforces motivation, and fosters meaningful engagement in our work.
When we make constructive dialogue the norm and frame challenges as opportunities, everyone feels empowered. Feedback becomes about connection, alignment, and thriving together as well as improvement.
Let’s embrace feedback as it guides us toward our fullest potential and energizes the flow that transforms work into a source of fulfillment and achievement.