For many of us YoPros, we grew up as part of the generation known to receive participation trophies and the like. With these trophies and our need to be liked and appreciated for doing our work, we naturally want positive feedback. In the workplace, you need to be ready for feedback that is thrown your way. Namely, from your boss, but also from your peers and teammates, depending on the nature of your office.
Thankfully, I have a few YoPros to share their take on feedback:
1. Remember that in any profession you’re in, there is always room for improvement.
Wehman Hopke, a 27-year-old Risk Assurance Associate at PwC, shares that taking in criticism is the most valuable thing we can do. And if you can take in criticism positively, the room for improvement is even wider for you.
2. Actively seek feedback.
Particularly if you have not received it in some time. Feedback is meant to help you develop as a professional, says Joey White, 27-year-old MBA Candidate at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. You might find yourself in a role that does not have structured feedback like Joey had in his previous role before grad school. His suggestion? Actively seek feedback because sometimes it just won’t come to you. If you work for a company that does not have a formal feedback system, don’t be afraid to set up one-on-one meetings with co-workers and ask for their feedback.
3. Feedback does not mean you are not good at your job.
No one ever wants to hear from their boss that they didn’t do something well, but oftentimes these are the things we need to hear so we can better ourselves. This nugget of advice comes from Braxton DeCamp, a 27-year-old FP&A Analyst with Hydrant in New York. Looking back at some of the other stories I have referenced today, I think we should remember to be grateful for conversations like this with our bosses because it means there is a feedback structure in place.
In the words of Joey White, feedback does not mean you are not good at your job. Feedback and reviews can be associated with negative connotations but they are here to make you better professionals. Stepping into this space with a positive mindset and the acknowledgment that this is in place to help you grow will make the difference in how you receive feedback.