The ‘F’ word. Overcoming fear of feedback and how to ask for it.

Whether you on the giving or receiving end of feedback, that word can instantly fill you with dread. But why are we so averse to it? Why are we of the notion that things can carry on fine, or better even, without it? We all want to progress – to develop and improve our work flow or the quality of our work, yet we have put a condition on feedback that it is only helpful if it affirms everything we're already doing. Actually, feedback that causes change is the only feedback worth having, unless you do not wish to progress, and that is what feels uncomfortable.

is the feedback Constructive?

It can be challenging, especially if you work for yourself, to receive feedback in the right light. How do you know you’re not just taking things personally? However, there is usually a key component to feedback that is constructive, and that is that it should leave you feeling you have positive steps to take. Feedback should never be solely criticism without tangible areas for progress. Anyone who gives feedback in such a way is probably only doing so to make themselves feel important. Although feedback can be hard to receive at times, deep down you should have questions about what could happen if you took on board the advice given – can you envision positive outcomes?

How to ask for feedback

I often ask people for feedback. Sometimes, this request is skimmed over and ignored because it's rare that other people have the time or the inclination to give it. It's the same for many companies; resorting to promotional emails in order to incentivise people to fill in questionnaires about their services. Most people want companies to improve their business and tailor it to better suit their needs, but no one wants it to be down to them to spend five minutes filling out a questionnaire. People need to feel enough of an incentive to do so, and the best way is down to building a strong connections - do people have enough of one to act? It is the same with you, albeit on a smaller scale. Do your clients care enough about the success of your services enough to give you feedback? It may be harder to get detailed feedback unless you are working regularly enough with a client to have gained enough trust or connection. Still, it is important to continue to ask for it – at the very least it lets the client know that you are open to change and improving outcomes.

In some cases, asking for feedback can be misinterpreted as asking for compliments on your work. This is particularly true when questions are open-ended, such as ‘how did you think the project went?’ and, unless you did something terrible along the way, the answer is likely to be ‘very well’. This sort of feedback is too vague to get any real value from, so it is your job to be specific about what you need to know. Asking more direct questions like ‘what aspects of the project went well’ or what areas of the project could have been improved’ ensure more specific detail and give the client permission to raise any negative points in a constructive way.

If you need more general feedback about your work, another more approachable way is to do so online. Although this may be unhelpful to understand specific project success or failure, there may well be cross overs. Don’t underestimate the power of community – most people are happy to give their opinion on a piece of work. A word of caution here though: these opinions may not be reflective of your target audience so be mindful of this before taking advice. However, you may be connected to professionals in your field who can give advice of real value. There are also plenty of people who are willing to criticise so you may need to take some comments with a pinch of salt, but on the whole I’ve found people to be positive and helpful Again, it is always better to ask for very specific feedback based on areas you are currently finding challenging or feel need improvement.

Be aware of your triggers

When I use the term ‘triggers’, I’m referring to all the things about your work that feel a little bit too personal. It may be the way that people have always told you your work looks like another artist you don’t admire too much – and god knows, you’ve tried to shake off the similarities but they keep coming back to haunt you. Or, it could be that people are forever saying your work would suit editorial when all you’ve ever wanted to work on is children’s books. These things are likely to provoke more of a reaction because they have become too personal, unbeknown to the person giving the feedback. In fact, the feedback could push you in a good direction if you listened to it, but your blinkers are on. Be open to feedback like this and delve a little deeper – asking why people compare your work to another artist may reveal that you tackle compositions in the same way, even though your work looks very different. It may be because the person loves that particular artist and is trying to compliment you. Pointing you in the direction of editorial may also open doors you hadn’t considered, for example, instead of clinging to one avenue for your work. It does not mean you can’t still pursue those things. Stay open minded of the feedback you’re given and try not to react.

LOOK FOR CLUES

Sometimes feedback can be subtle or come voluntarily and it’s in your interest to get wise to this. For example, separate clients may independently ask if you can do more of the same type of illustration and here you can spot patterns in requests and meet a need. It may not be a direct request for an improvement but it may point you in the direction of what clients needs are so that you can cater to them. Similarly, feedback can come in the form of data – what are people searching for on your website, for example? This can give you good feedback as to what people are looking for and how you can provide more of the same or improve in an area of our services. Any form of response to your work is worth noting, such as what type of comments you receive on your social media posts. You may discount some people because they don’t fall into your usual client category, but there may be ways you can tailor your work to meet needs of new clients. If individuals regularly ask for prints of your work, for example, is it worth developing an online shop as well as other commissions?

It's surprising how much a little bit of feedback can change things. We need to learn to be less afraid of it.

What ways have you learnt to get better feedback about your work or overcome the fear of receiving it?