Feedback Is Your Friend
Most of you reading this may not remember the days of using a dial to find the right radio station. Yes, I’m that old.
Before digital precision, tuning into a station meant carefully adjusting the dial, listening for the shift from static to sound. That static—the noise in between frequencies—was called feedback. And before you come at me, I know it’s not feedback in the traditional sense (sound waves creating a loop), but it acts as a feedback mechanism. It tells you you’re not tuned to a frequency.
Without feedback, we wouldn’t know how close or far we were from the right station. That static served a purpose. It wasn’t just noise; it was information.
Now, imagine if that’s how we viewed feedback in our lives.
What if feedback wasn’t something to fear or avoid but a necessary signal helping us tune into our best work, our highest potential, and our greatest impact? How would that change the way we show up in our careers, our teams, and our relationships?
Feedback as a Guide, Not a Judgment
Too often, feedback is taken as a personal attack rather than a tool for refinement. We resist it, get defensive, or ignore it altogether. But feedback is simply information—it tells us where we stand in relation to where we want to be.
Think about it: When an athlete reviews game film, they aren’t looking at mistakes as proof of failure. They’re looking for signals—adjustments to make, angles to refine, movements to sharpen. The best athletes, artists, and leaders don’t avoid feedback; they actively seek it because they know it’s what allows them to find their rhythm.
What if we approached our growth the same way?
Learning to Tune In
If we see feedback as static, it’s easy to tune it out. But if we see it as a necessary part of finding the right frequency, we start to listen differently.
1. Recognize That Static is Part of the Process – Just like turning the dial on a radio, you don’t always land on the right station immediately. The static isn’t failure; it’s part of the tuning process.
2. Listen for the Right Signal – Not all feedback is useful, and not all of it is about you. The key is to discern what helps you refine your approach and filter out the noise.
3. Adjust, Don’t Resist – Feedback isn’t meant to be taken as an indictment of who you are—it’s an invitation to improve. Instead of resisting, what if we learned to fine-tune based on what we hear?
Transforming Workplaces Through Feedback
What if workplaces functioned like finely tuned radio stations, with feedback as the signal guiding everyone toward the right frequency? What if employees didn’t brace for feedback but leaned into it, knowing it was a tool for growth? What if leaders modeled the mindset that feedback isn’t about being right or wrong—it’s about getting better?
The best teams, the best performers, the best leaders—they all understand that feedback isn’t the enemy. It’s the guide.
So the next time feedback comes your way, don’t fight it. Don’t fear it. Tune in. Because the right adjustment might be the key to finding your best work yet.