4Giving Feedback
Giving feedback is damn hard, and it can be stressful. The reviewer holds a lot of responsibility for making sure the project is accurate, hits a certain level of quality, and meets goals. You have a clear stake in this project, so own that responsibility with honor.
Feedback has undeniable power. Your words, actions, and body language are everything to the creator. You can quickly crush a great idea or lift a brilliant one with your actions.
Ideas need help to blossom. Guidance is your most important role as a reviewer. Ideas need someone to point out weaknesses and emphasize strengths.
Giving feedback is about collaborating. You are a teammate helping push this idea to greatness by adding your experience and value. It's not about changing the idea to make it yours. It's about working together to create something new.
Remember that giving feedback doesn't have to hurt.
Polish the Idea to Make It Shine
As you start reviewing another person's idea, please remember this:
Read that again, and if you need to put it on a sticky note by your computer, do it.
It takes a lot of effort to create whatever you are reviewing. It takes a lot of energy and momentum to get this idea in front of you. Respect that energy.
If you feel yourself judging the effort put into someone's work, take a step back and make sure you're not just looking for the job to be done “your way.” We need to include different perspectives in the workplace. ...
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