<p>Feedback is commonly known as a communication exercise that provides information or comments on a task that is either good or needs improvement. It is very familiar, and everyone undergoes it in many ways and many situations. The earliest feedback one gets as a kid from the teachers about homework, drawing or painting, etc. In sports, feedback is a continuous process that improves performance.</p><p>British poet I A Richards coined the word ‘feed forward’ in 1951. According to him, ‘feed forward’ is a necessary condition for “feedback”, which allows individuals to adopt changes required to create a better result.</p><p>Marshall Goldsmith, a management educator and coach, adopted and practised this concept. He emphasised its usefulness in Management education and practice. He opined that feed forward is the opposite of Feedback. In feedback, it is common to brood on the past incidents which are already occurred and can not be changed. It is about a failed past and has several limitations.</p><p>Feed forward aims to provide suggestions and convert positive and negative feedback for future-oriented solutions. It targets transforming past mistakes into a path of learning and development. </p><p><strong>How’s it different from feedback?</strong></p><p>In feedback, employees are informed as to how they are presently performing and review the fast work. Feed forward is the reverse exercise of feedback. </p><p>Feedback points out problems, but feed forward explores the possibilities to do better. It is more of criticism and nit-picking in feedback, but feed forward is more empathetic and motivates employees.</p><p>Feedback is more of an information dump or postmortem; it does not offer an action plan. Feed forward helps employees to make a clear plan of action.</p><p>Feedback tends to focus on negatives, reinforce the feeling of failure or failure, and employees feel judged. In feed forward, reinforcement towards the possibility of changes and focus is on the task rather than the person.</p><p>Feedback is static and time-consuming; feed forward creates momentum faster and more efficiently.</p><p>Employees often ignore feedback and do not attach value to it. In feed forward, employees tend to take suggestions seriously as it helps to bring changes in their work as well as to develop competencies.</p><p><strong>Fun and beautiful</strong></p><p>There are many strong reasons to adopt feed forward than feedback. Feed forward helps people move forward with a vision and focus on a positive future. The best example is sports, where athletes are told to look at the road ahead rather than the wall.</p><p>Feed forward is to discover the right path and be more productive. It helps successful people who resist negative judgment and react to feedback slowly. Feedforward goes well with good ideas with an aim to achieve the goals. Feeding forward is a fun activity where personal criticism has no place. In feed forward, the discussion about something that has not yet happened. It unveils the hidden potential, makes them move in that direction, and motivates people.</p><p>Feed forward is provided based on the assumption that the receivers can make positive changes in their future endeavour. Interestingly, feed forward works on all of the same material or the same points as feedback. Here, the manager attempts to bring the person out of his fears, failure, or humiliating experiences. Suggestions given will be very specific and communicated in a very positive way.</p><p>In feed forward, more than one suggestion is offered, with the idea that out of four to five ideas, any two can work very well. In this process, individuals have the freedom to accept ideas that are like theirs and the opportunity to reject unsuitable ideas. Lastly and importantly, feed-forward is always guided by an expert. Therefore, feed-forward is useful for an organisation’s managers, peers and team members. </p><p>Feed forward is useful as a developmental tool as well. It will be pleasurable if the feed forward is practised by managers during a performance review, teachers with students, sports coaches, drama, music and dance performances, etc. Feed forward process can be observed live in sports training sessions. Another example of feed forward is in the musical reality show SAREGAMA on ZEE TV Kannada. The three judges offer beautiful and encouraging words to the singers. They focus on identifying the hidden potential of the participants and highlighting their capabilities. There is no negative or harsh feedback to any of the participants.</p><p>This can be considered a pivotal training session for managers, teachers, and coaches in their respective fields to develop their skills, attitudes, and expertise. </p><p><em>(The author is a human resource adviser and trainer)</em></p>
<p>Feedback is commonly known as a communication exercise that provides information or comments on a task that is either good or needs improvement. It is very familiar, and everyone undergoes it in many ways and many situations. The earliest feedback one gets as a kid from the teachers about homework, drawing or painting, etc. In sports, feedback is a continuous process that improves performance.</p><p>British poet I A Richards coined the word ‘feed forward’ in 1951. According to him, ‘feed forward’ is a necessary condition for “feedback”, which allows individuals to adopt changes required to create a better result.</p><p>Marshall Goldsmith, a management educator and coach, adopted and practised this concept. He emphasised its usefulness in Management education and practice. He opined that feed forward is the opposite of Feedback. In feedback, it is common to brood on the past incidents which are already occurred and can not be changed. It is about a failed past and has several limitations.</p><p>Feed forward aims to provide suggestions and convert positive and negative feedback for future-oriented solutions. It targets transforming past mistakes into a path of learning and development. </p><p><strong>How’s it different from feedback?</strong></p><p>In feedback, employees are informed as to how they are presently performing and review the fast work. Feed forward is the reverse exercise of feedback. </p><p>Feedback points out problems, but feed forward explores the possibilities to do better. It is more of criticism and nit-picking in feedback, but feed forward is more empathetic and motivates employees.</p><p>Feedback is more of an information dump or postmortem; it does not offer an action plan. Feed forward helps employees to make a clear plan of action.</p><p>Feedback tends to focus on negatives, reinforce the feeling of failure or failure, and employees feel judged. In feed forward, reinforcement towards the possibility of changes and focus is on the task rather than the person.</p><p>Feedback is static and time-consuming; feed forward creates momentum faster and more efficiently.</p><p>Employees often ignore feedback and do not attach value to it. In feed forward, employees tend to take suggestions seriously as it helps to bring changes in their work as well as to develop competencies.</p><p><strong>Fun and beautiful</strong></p><p>There are many strong reasons to adopt feed forward than feedback. Feed forward helps people move forward with a vision and focus on a positive future. The best example is sports, where athletes are told to look at the road ahead rather than the wall.</p><p>Feed forward is to discover the right path and be more productive. It helps successful people who resist negative judgment and react to feedback slowly. Feedforward goes well with good ideas with an aim to achieve the goals. Feeding forward is a fun activity where personal criticism has no place. In feed forward, the discussion about something that has not yet happened. It unveils the hidden potential, makes them move in that direction, and motivates people.</p><p>Feed forward is provided based on the assumption that the receivers can make positive changes in their future endeavour. Interestingly, feed forward works on all of the same material or the same points as feedback. Here, the manager attempts to bring the person out of his fears, failure, or humiliating experiences. Suggestions given will be very specific and communicated in a very positive way.</p><p>In feed forward, more than one suggestion is offered, with the idea that out of four to five ideas, any two can work very well. In this process, individuals have the freedom to accept ideas that are like theirs and the opportunity to reject unsuitable ideas. Lastly and importantly, feed-forward is always guided by an expert. Therefore, feed-forward is useful for an organisation’s managers, peers and team members. </p><p>Feed forward is useful as a developmental tool as well. It will be pleasurable if the feed forward is practised by managers during a performance review, teachers with students, sports coaches, drama, music and dance performances, etc. Feed forward process can be observed live in sports training sessions. Another example of feed forward is in the musical reality show SAREGAMA on ZEE TV Kannada. The three judges offer beautiful and encouraging words to the singers. They focus on identifying the hidden potential of the participants and highlighting their capabilities. There is no negative or harsh feedback to any of the participants.</p><p>This can be considered a pivotal training session for managers, teachers, and coaches in their respective fields to develop their skills, attitudes, and expertise. </p><p><em>(The author is a human resource adviser and trainer)</em></p>