Finding the Silver Lining: How Positive Psychology Can Help You Use Critical Feedback to Flourish
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We all need feedback to grow professionally and improve our skills. Our cognitive biases and limited perspective mean it is imperative that we draw on others to help us see what we cannot, and point us to new strategies to achieve our goals. But, even if you agree with that sentiment, you might find it emotionally wrenching to hear that your work falls short or could be improved: many of us avoid or reject beneficial, but critical, feedback. And, sometimes negative feedback is inexpertly delivered, making it even harder to hear. Positive psychology aims to help people flourish; while it’s sometimes hard to remember this, critical feedback is usually intended to promote flourishing, too. This capstone describes a model for thinking about how to flourish from feedback. It provides tools which can be used to make us more receptive to feedback and influence our feedback environment; these same tools can be used to prepare for, engage in, and process feedback conversations. Finally, the model offers guidance for selecting the right tools to help everyone reap the benefits that can come from hearing the wisdom that others can share with us.