I will freely confess to hating feedback. Even the anticipation of reading something mean-spirited or critical makes me feel wobbly – the actual experience of it knocks me sideways for days.
You might say I’m in the wrong job, but it seems I’m not alone – this week my Twitter algorithm has been serving me up examples of academic colleagues reporting some of the unkind comments students have left in the latest round of module feedback, and how upset they feel about it.
Now, don’t get me wrong – feedback, done properly, is the breakfast of champions, helping us sharpen our thinking, and moderate our perspective. I’m not shy about giving feedback or, when there’s a relationship of trust and respect, hearing it (and acting on it). Any professional would say the same.
But it’s difficult to engage with feedback that’s not offering the benefit of the doubt that you were trying your best, that makes ad hominem attacks or criticism founded in prejudice, or that is worded in a way that suggests the author has forgotten that there’s a human being that has to read and digest their words.
