Thanks for the Feedback

by Deb McCallum

This year I have been diving deeper into learning more about cognitive biases, and our blind spots. My doctorate course with Dr. Katz last winter was very insightful into helping me to understand how our biases can impact our work. When I think about my own influence in education, I think about what my blind spots might be. The book I am currently reading is ‘Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well’, by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen:

Our blind spots are things that we just cannot see ourselves. When we influence other people, our blind spots will be visible to them – but not us. If we look for our own blind spots, we will only see that we don’t have them. This book is helping me to think deeper about feedback when we are influencing teams. What do we need to ask to get accurate feedback? Or say to give accurate feedback?

This question is something that I will want to ask more of moving forward: ‘What do you see me doing, or failing to do, that is getting in my own way?’.

Many keen insights in this book that can help us with leadership and education.

Why do you thinking that feedback can be so challenging, yet so crucial?