Feedback Strategies

 My thoughts on praise are very in the middle. I think that if we have the opportunity to raise someone's spirits or to acknowledge that we see the hard work that they are doing, we should do it. However, I think there is a harm in too much praise. Individuals start to feel empty or like they didn't do enough if no one tells them the opposite.

My first article was "Five Reasons to Stop Saying Good Job!" by Alfie Kohn. This article deepened my thoughts about how constant praise can negatively effect children. These kids are just starting to develop their own sense of self. If we constantly tell them good job, as the article states, we are telling them how they should feel about a project or job they finished and we are setting them up for that constant need for validation. Without it, children would be able to create their own feelings and learn to work through the negative feelings that they have.

My second article was "Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise" by  Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman. This article brought an interesting point up. I think that many people believe that positive feedback is implied. It is not necessary to verbalize because they should already know they are doing a good job. But, negative or constructive feedback is necessary because it is something that the manager has noticed and needs to be said. I think that shows a very important aspect in our culture and in our individual lives. I personally disagree, I find it much easier to tell people what they are doing correctly opposed to the opposite.

I chose this picture to represent how as kids we don't need validation but as an adult, a little goes a long way. Source: Flickr, taken by Steven Depolo