feedback

Who doesn’t appreciate the acknowledgment of their efforts and wins, or like to impress others occasionally? It’s equally important to cultivate internal validation: a deeper sense of self-worth that is free from the wavering opinions of others and the momentary dopamine hit of a gold star. Developing internal validation isn’t about cultivating baseless confidence or inflating your ego. Rather, it’s about counterbalancing common workplace features that, left unchecked, can inadvertently undermine your confidence, self-esteem, and well-being. In this article, the author shares four strategies to balance your perspective and stay self-assured despite external pressures and challenging work environments.

Living under the weight of constant scrutiny and comparison teaches Olympic athletes not only how to excel in their sport but also how to effectively harness feedback for continuous improvement. Learning to discern which feedback to embrace and which to filter out becomes essential for not just surviving, but for thriving — and those lessons are equally applicable to all of us.

Conventional wisdom says you should ask your colleagues for feedback. However, research suggests that feedback often has no (or even a negative) impact on our performance. This is because the feedback we receive is often too vague — it fails to highlight what we can improve on or how to improve. New research suggests a better approach. Across four experiments — including a field experiment conducted in an executive education classroom — researchers found that people received more effective input when they asked for advice rather than feedback.

Traditional notions of mentoring are top down: senior leaders guiding lower-level staff. But the tides are changing – and younger workers are now teaching up.