Assignment 1 for PIDP 3351 - Feedback vs. Feedforward
Ever gotten feedback that kinda felt like a sh*t sandwich where the giver gave a compliment then a criticism then another compliment? When given this feedback were you excited to try again or did it take the wind out of your sail?
Wouldn't it be more encouraging if someone asked you "what do you think worked well with this" and "is there anything you could do to make it even better"? (CSLE2COVA, 2020). This is a feedforward technique and for most people it is seen as a way to improve, rather then redo.
During an electrical apprenticeship, feedback is expected. If you as the apprentice can receive this feedback and turn it into feedforward where you consider what went well and what areas need improvement, you will find more joy in your work while becoming an even better trades person.
To become a person who looks for feedforward rather than feedback, we must understand various mindsets. There are two mindsets that we need to really understand. The first is the fixed mindset and the second is the growth mindset.
(Cote, 2022)
The fixed mindset
This mindset is when intelligence and ability are seen as unchangeable or fixed (Smith, 2025). This mindset leads learners to believe that they either have it or they don't, they avoid challenge to prevent the possibility of failure (Smith, 2025). If an apprenticeship in any field is about the process then how can this be a beneficial mindset?
The growth mindset
This mindset is all about process! Now this is what we need throughout our apprenticeship. The growth mindset focuses on the power of yet (Dweck,2014). The power of yet is exactly what it implies, it's the thought process of "I'm not there yet" which implies that if you go through the process you will eventually get there. As tradespeople, the power of yet is essential to our growth and improvement in our trade.
For the Carol Dweck's full Ted talk please visit the link provided below.
(Dweck, 2014)
As apprentices or journey people, our mindsets are extremely important. A fixed mindset will drain your excitement and energy for the trade. Where a growth mindset that focuses on process can invigorate and energize us day after day to be better! With these mindsets it is important to understand feedback and feedforward.
Feedback vs Feedforward
Feedback can be great, when our life partners come to us and say "hey, I really didn't appreciate that thing you did last night" we usually take that constructively and try to improve. Not only because we love them, but because we want to make them happy, and we want to be better versions of ourselves for them. On the other hand, when our boss comes to us and says "the panel you wired yesterday looks like a dog's breakfast and I need you to do cleaner work next time" we take this more as an attack and feel threatened or looked down on which in turn deflated our energy for the next task.
Feedforward is a much different approach that relies more on praising the process and improvement. Which creates hardiness and resilience (Dweck, 2014). If your boss were to come to you and say "hey, I was looking at that panel you wired yesterday and liked that all the wires that entered were in neat lines and stapled neatly, but I thought that the wiring inside was a little messy and could use a bit more care and time" you would leave that conversation with the feeling of "next time I'll watch for that, I'm not there yet... but I know I can do better". This is something to look forward to an strive to improve upon, which in turn will make you a much better trades person in the long run.
Now, we need to understand that these mindsets and ways of providing constructive criticism are not known by all in trades... there are still many grumpy old fellows in the trades, but our mindsets as learners can be extremely helpful in managing these ornery older people.
A few things to ponder
The moment we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability, we will be brittle in the face of adversity (Waitzkin, 2001).
"The best way to gain self-confidence is to do what you are afraid to do" (Lemonade day, 2024).
"You are always a student, never a master. You have to keep moving forward" (Lemonade day, 2024).
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts" (Lemonade day, 2024).
"The expert in anything was once a beginner" (Lemonade day, 2024).
Resources:
CLSE2COVA. (2020). LM stories EP 4 feedforward vs. feedback. YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zklTGjq6dIs&t=1s
Cote, C. (2022). Growth mindset vs. fixed mindset: What's the difference? Harvard Business School. https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/growth-mindset-vs-fixed-mindset
Dweck, C. (2014). The power of believing you can improve | Carol Dweck | TED. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X0mgOOSpLU&t=2s
Lemonade day. (2024). 101+ inspiring growth mindset quotes for kids to fuel their success - https://lemonadeday.org/blog/growth-mindset-quotes-for-kids
Smith, J. (2025). Growth mindset vs fixed mindset: How what we think affects what you achieve. Mindset Health. https://www.mindsethealth.com/matter/growth-vs-fixed-mindset
Waitzkin, J. (2001). Joshua Waitzkin quotes. Brainy quote. https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/joshua_waitzkin_536461
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