Fear of Feedback (Executive Summary)

1. Many people try to circumvent performance appraisals out of fear of criticism.

The criticism would trigger negative emotions, in which everyone wants to protect.
Superiors on the other hand, fear anger and emotional reactions to criticism of their
employees. These tests, critical appraisals to avoid lead to different - conscious and
unconscious - harmful behaviors:

(a) Postponement of feedback and delay discussions of important tasks and

projects;
(b) Denial of reality in the enterprise or the consequences of this reality for their
own situation;
(c) Brooding over perceived excessive passivity and self-isolation;
(d) Envy towards successful colleagues;
(e) Self-disqualification by ill and reckless action.

2. People avoid feedback because they hate being criticized. People do not wish to
hear their own imperfections. The behavior exhibited is as mentioned below:

(a) Procrastination During procrastination one feels helpless about a situation

and exhibits anxiety, embarrassment, hostility and anger.

(b) Denial One is in denial when he is unable to face or fail to acknowledge the
reality. Denial is most often an unconscious response.

(c) Brooding It is a powerful emotional response taking the form of morbid pre
occupation. Brooders lapse into passivity, paralysis and isolation.

(d) Jealousy This involves comparing ourselves with others based on suspicion,
rivalry, envy or possessiveness

(e) Self sabotage It is an unconscious behaviour where people undercut

themselves

3. To cope up with this behavior, people must learn to adopt to feedback. Following
adoptive techniques can be used.
 (a) Recognize your emotions and responses Once your emotions have been
identified you should critically understand it.

(b) Get Support Ask for help from trusted friends, who will listen, encourage and
offer suggestions.

(c) Reframe the feedback reconstruct the feedback process to your advantage,
i.e. reacting to feedback in a positive light so that negative emotions and
responses lose their grip.

(d) Break up the task Divide the large task of feedback into manageable,
measurable chunks and set realistic timeframes for each one.

(e) Use incentives Pat yourself as you make adaptive changes, more so since
feedback process is not wholly a negative experience

4. Once you begin to adapt your responses and behavior it is time to seek regular
feedback from your boss. The proactive feedback includes four steps:

(a) Self assessment The first task is to determine which elements of job are
most important. Next step is to recall informal feedback from co-workers,
subordinates and customers.

(b) External feedback This involves speaking to few trusted colleagues to

collect information that supports your self assessment. Also, directly asking your
boss for feedback.

(c) Absorbing feedback After hearing critical feedback one must keep negative
emotions private and replace them with adaptive responses.

(d) Taking actions The last phase is to act on the information received in the
form of feedback.

5. Rewards of adaptionation The organizations profit when their employees seek

feedback and are able to effectively deal with criticism. This makes the environment
more honest and open, thereby improving the performance throughout the organization.
These adaptive techniques also improve their relationship with family members and
friends. They also discover that instead of fearing the feedback, they can look forward to
leverage it for their enhanced performance.
Submitted by group IV
DK Hallan
SB Walwadkar
N Taprial
G Srinivas
ID singh
SJ Sejwal