“That which you most need will be found where you least want to look”

– Carl Jung

A university professor recently asked to send me a video of one of her lectures, and requested that I watch it and provide her with feedback. I was both impressed and honored by the request. Impressed, as it always requires courage to actively solicit feedback. Honored, that she would trust my critique. She had watched the video herself, but wanted more insight on how she is coming across to her students. Brava!

Feedback is a gift.

Whether talking about our relationships, our ways of communicating, how we do or don’t show up in the world, how we deliver a lecture, or, how we make a chocolate cake, we all need help rounding out the picture. We need others to speak into our blind spots and help us see what we can’t, even when it means seeing the things we’d rather not.

Feedback is a gift.

The gift isn’t necessarily in the accuracy of the feedback, or whether it is easy or hard to hear, but because it provides a perspective other than our own. None of us has the whole picture when it comes to who we are, how we operate, or how we are experienced by others. Completing our picture requires help.

Feedback is a gift.

For most of us though, the very idea of receiving feedback, solicited or otherwise, conjures up images of learning only about the bad, and the ugly, never considering that we might discover a hefty portion of the good as well.

Feedback is a gift.

If you have any for me, know that I will consider it a gift.

With thanks to the courageous professor.