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In a broad sense, feedback is simply verbal or nonverbal communication between two or more parties. So, why are so many of us afraid of the word feedback? People often think of feedback as being synonymous with criticism because feedback is given, in most circumstances, when expectations have not been met (Rich). As humans, we all have the desire to fit in with our society’s social norms and please those within our community by meeting expectations. As shown in Figure 5.1, we are constantly surrounded by feedback as we see the consequences of our actions and how our actions affect the impressions of those around us (Jossey and Bass, 1995). Feedback is an essential part of our personal life and our work environment, making, giving and receiving feedback successfully critical.
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