Feedback is the breakfast of champoins

When you study anyone who is great at a particular skill you realize that they have been coached by someone along the way.  Good coaching provides the learned with constructive feedback that allows the learner to continue to improve.  In education is important for both the student and the teacher to be able to learn from this type of feedback so that they can both grow along the way.

However, it seems often that we have trouble communicating feedback in an honest and helpful way.  I read a blog the other day which I have posted below

We don't care enough to give you constructive feedback

But if we did, it would take a lot to speak up in a useful way. It's difficult to be a generous skeptic. Not only do we have to be clear and cogent and actionable, but we cross a social boundary when we speak up. We might be rejected, or scolded, or made to feel dumb. And of course there's the risk that we'll get our hopes up that something will improve, only to see it revert to the status quo.
So, most of the time, we don't bother.
But when someone does care enough (about you, about the opportunity, about the work or the tool), the ball is in your court.
You can react to the feedback by taking it as an attack, deflecting blame, pointing fingers to policy or the CEO. Then you've just told me that you don't care enough to receive the feedback in a useful way.
Or you can pass me off to a powerless middleman, a frustrated person who mouths the words but makes it clear that the feedback will never get used. Another way to show that you don't care as much as I do. And if you don't care, why should I?
One other option: you can care even more than I do. You can not only be open to the constructive feedback, but you can savor it, chew it over, amplify it. You can delight in the fact that someone cares enough to speak up, and dance with their insight and contribution.
Because then, if you're lucky, it might happen again.


So what are your thoughts?  Do we need to take the time to provide feedback for each other?  Is it that we do not care or is it that we are scared to hurt someone's feelings?  Love to hear your thoughts