By Chloe Johnson, PR/Media Coordinator, Spring 2020
You just spent hours working on an assignment. You conducted research, took notes, made drafts and self-edited every single word. You submit your deliverable for feedback, and hours later, you check the same assignment to see dozens of comments. Well, that’s not what you expected.
Understanding The Process
Receiving feedback is a daunting task. You are asking someone to critique work that you might actually like. Sometimes, we work on assignments that are so thrilling we develop an attachment to it. While, other assignments are probably not our ideal choice, but it still matters to us. Either way, receiving feedback is a struggle.
We all know that feedback is a significant part of the process to creating better deliverables for clients. Critique is a product of constructive criticism. Critique is comments, suggestions, and questions that help people elevate their work. While, constructive criticism is the umbrella term for providing valuable feedback.
Yet, receiving feedback can still lead us to doubting ourselves. Thoughts like “I thought my work was really good” or “my work is not good enough” creep into our minds when we see overwhelming amounts of critique on our assignments.
Tips to Accepting Critique
Tip #1: Remember who is giving you the feedback.
Before you start to falter, remember that no one who gives you feedback wants to see you fail. They want you to produce your best work. That is why they are telling you how you can improve because they believe in you.
Tip #2: Some comments are just suggestions.
Remember not all critique must be accepted. In some situations, people are sharing recommendations on how to improve your work. Your work can definitely be revised, but the way it is changed depends on your personal preference.
Tip #3: Receiving feedback helps you catch those mistakes in your future assignments.
Unfortunately, the word, “mistake,” has a negative connotation to it. Making mistakes is a part of the learning process. You will become a better creator because you are not trying to be perfect. Plus, you know that you are learning.
Tip #4: It makes you more humble.
Being humble is a strong character trait in a field where people are judged based on their skills and personality. It’s nice to not have to be perfect all the time. We are capable of learning something new, and when we make mistakes, it shows that we have a lot of room to grow.
It all comes down to understanding that everyone wants you to produce your finest work. So, before being overwhelmed the next time you receive a significant amount of critique, take a deep breath. Start revising and watch how much your assignments are elevated.