In this TED Talk, Bill Gates discusses the lack of feedback most teachers receive in the United States. In other words, teachers won’t know how to improve if no one tells them. He makes an obvious point, and one that’s relevant to all professionals. When someone in a position to make a valid judgement tells us not only what we’re doing right, but also what we’re doing wrong, we can improve most effectively.
That is…if we’re willing to take the feedback and act on it. My experience is that most organizations do this poorly. I usually get little feedback on my job performance, so I go with my gut and hope it works out. That’s worked okay over the years, but I have preferred more structured reviews on the rare occasions I’ve had them.