As mentioned in the previous section, developing our behavior as individuals and as teams based on the feedback we receive makes the whole team better. We all know the sad stories of companies where somebody was too afraid to let someone else know they were making a mistake or that something was not working well.
When we stop receiving feedback, it’s a sure way to doom. When we become too afraid to critically assess our ways of working, the things we’re producing, and our own actions, we risk getting blindsided by something. At worst, we get surprised by a divorce, being laid off, or the complete failure of a product or service. These are the extreme ends of not receiving any feedback for a long time.
Refusing to hear criticism and not stopping to analyze and improve stagnates us. In a world that is constantly changing and moving ahead, that’s a dangerous thing. Instead, asking for feedback and wanting to develop as individuals, teams, and organizations ensures we renew, learn, and grow. Exposing ourselves to critical assessment makes sure we stay ahead of the game.
In a self-organizing team, it might be that nobody will do that part for you. You need to learn to initiate and gather feedback yourself. It also means you have the possibility and the ability to initiate it for your team — even if none of the teams around are yet doing it. You aren’t at the mercy of the organization's current feedback culture and don’t have to submit to it.
You can develop a culture that works for you and helps you make sure you only get stronger over time.
Summary of Why feedback matters?
In the first chapter, we learned feedback is an inevitable part of human life. We can’t avoid it; we have to give it, and it keeps us in the game.
We’ll get feedback in some form or another from the people in our lives.
The better we become at handling feedback situations, the easier it’ll be for us to navigate through our lives.
We’re going to run into situations where we really must give feedback to others. The better we become at giving feedback, the stronger and healthier our relationships and teams are.
If we cease to receive feedback and critically assess our ways of doing things, we stagnate and set ourselves up for failure.
Exposing ourselves to critical assessments ensures we stay ahead in the game and keep learning and growing.
One person cannot change the feedback culture alone, but anyone can be the one who starts the change!