“Creativity is not just about the creation of new ideas, but also about the ability to receive feedback, refine, and evolve existing ones.” – Shivvy Jervis
Feedback is an essential part of professional and personal growth – working and operating in the creative industry is no exception to this rule.
Feedback plays a crucial role in ensuring that the final product meets expectations and, more importantly, it will push you (as a creative) out of your routine and comfort zone and it is in these spaces that we often find new inspiration and ideas. When it comes to creative roles such as graphic designers and content creators who need to communicate a message through their work, it is important to understand the importance of welcoming and using feedback.
First and foremost, it is important to acknowledge that not all feedback is going to feel good, and you simply cannot expect constructive feedback from everyone who crosses your path. Constructive feedback is intended to be helpful and provide suggestions for improvement by focusing on specific actions or behaviors and providing examples of what can be done differently to achieve a better outcome. Unconstructive feedback, on the other hand, is perceived as critical and negative without any specifics or suggestions for improvement. However, any feedback can be beneficial if approached in the right way. Try and approach all feedback in a way that can help you do at least one of the following things:
- Identify areas for improvement or upskilling
- Provide insight into how others perceive your work
- Helps you identify biases or misunderstandings
- Gives you the opportunity to practice resilience
Secondly, there are a few unexpected things that happen when you start incorporating feedback as a standard part of your professional processes and valuing it highly (the latter being the most important part).
- Your professional (and personal) relationships improve: Being open to and able to accept feedback shows that you are committed to learning, growing, and improving. This willingness to listen builds trust and respect in relationships and also leads to increased collaboration and improved teamwork as individuals feel more willing to share their ideas with you and work with you to achieve a common goal.
- Increased self-awareness: Through feedback – individuals gain a better understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. This self-awareness helps us make more informed decisions and take actions that align with our personal and professional goals.
- Your work satisfaction will improve: This seems contradictory, however, when you start accepting that you are not perfect, and that your work won’t always be flawless, it takes a massive weight off your shoulders and submitted drafts will start becoming less and less stressful. Furthermore, by incorporating feedback, you set yourself up for constant improvement and growth so when you look back you will be impressed by your own journey and inspired to continue.
In conclusion, feedback is an integral part of success in the creative industry. It plays a crucial role in personal and professional growth, improving relationships, increasing self-awareness, and ultimately, leading to greater work satisfaction. While not all feedback may be constructive, it is important to approach it in a way that benefits you, whether it’s identifying areas for improvement or gaining insight into how others perceive your work. By incorporating feedback as a standard part of professional processes and valuing it highly, you set yourself up for constant improvement and growth, and your work will continue to evolve and inspire. So, embrace feedback, both constructive and unconstructive, and let it help you become the best creative professional you can be.
