Career Prep 2009 Summer Blog

Sometimes feedback is so indirect that if you aren’t paying close attention then you might miss it altogether. For example, your boss makes a comment on your “colorful” shirt one day and your “eccentric” shoes the next. This is feedback! Pay attention and adjust accordingly. Personally, I would re-evaluate my wardrobe selection and adjust accordingly. Two weeks later your boss acknowledges one of your fellow interns for getting in early everyday to help with the daily competitive market share report, and never mentions any of your projects all summer. Believe it or not, that is feedback. Your boss is communicating that early arrival to the office is important in the evaluation process, and that going above and beyond to help the team is also important. On the other hand, your team captain always mentions in staff meeting how helpful you have been in participating in Brand Development Focus Groups. This particular project is completely unrelated to your internship project but you enjoy helping out and you are learning a great deal about market research. While your captain’s feedback is very positive, it is extremely important that you are progressing well on your specific assignments outlined by your immediate supervisor. In other words, don’t lose sight of your main goal ( GTO), in the midst of seeking your Captain’s approval. Balance is critical in the feedback process. Finally, you can clearly see that recognizing and understanding the many dimensions of feedback are essential to being successful in any organization.