Proving or Improving?

Hello Curious Learner,

Giving or receiving feedback is part of most people’s work and, whether we like it or not, unavoidable. In research, in particular, feedback is meant to be an opportunity for growth, learning and advancement. Yet, receiving feedback can make us feel underappreciated, uncomfortable and trigger very tangible impostor-syndrome feelings.

What makes receiving feedback difficult? (I am not saying giving feedback is any easier but for today we will focus on being on the receiving end)

First, let’s take a look at the meaning of feedback. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, feedback is defined as “information or statements of opinion about something, such as a new product, that can tell you if it is successful or liked.” This definition, alone, gives many hints as to why receiving feedback might be hard. We tend to cling to the words “successful” and “liked”, don’t we? As a result, we assume that because someone is giving us feedback, our work is not liked, let alone successful.

For everyone’s sake and the improvement of qualitative research and its impact, especially in health sciences, we need to let go of these hard feelings when receiving feedback and embrace them with a positive outlook (after all, our attitude is all we can control when being on the receiving end). We can always learn something when we listen with open hearts and minds to the feedback we receive from IRB (Institutional Review Boards), advisors/supervisors, peers, journal reviewers and anyone who is giving us space to share our research.

There is a caveat, though, and now we briefly turn to the giver of feedback. If feedback is given in a way to prove that we are wrong rather than improve our work, we should let it go. So, whenever sifting through feedback received on your qualitative work, ask yourself, Is this proving or improving? You know what to do from there, even if it stings.

Talk soon,

Maira Q.