I’ve been thinking this week about criticism and our adversity to being in the limelight. We’re taught from a young age to conform. By the time we reach young adulthood we understand what society expects from us — “Shut up, fit in, and play along”. The best way to get through life is to not make waves, and yet...
The aversion to being singled out, this conformity that has been bred into us, stands in opposition to the role we play as creative professionals. Criticism is part and parcel of what we do — the work we create. The very nature of the term “creative professional” means we are tasked with (and paid to) create the unusual and the visible. In a world that is noisier every day, our work is meant to be pure signal. But is it?
Seth Godin says, “The best the timid can hope for is to be unnoticed. Criticism comes to those who stand out.” This is a good point. If we pull back from scrutiny, if we are too timid, too afraid, too fearful of our ripples in the pond, then the best we can hope for is mediocrity.
Constructive criticism and feedback illuminate our work from an external perspective. It removes our myopic point of view and helps us see clearly what we are often too close to observe.
Having our work under the microscope for people to look at (and comment on and criticize) might not sound like a good thing. It’s definitely not fun. But can that process help refine us? Can it get us to that next level — polishing our skills, and honing our craft? I believe it can and does.
There is an old saying that “Iron sharpens iron”. Constructive criticism and feedback illuminate our work from an external perspective. It removes our myopic point of view and helps us see clearly what we are often too close to observe. It is a refining process. It clarifies the butter, so to speak. Do you see it that way?
The next time you have a friend, colleague, creative director, or client who gives you feedback on your work, don’t raise your defenses. Listen to what they’re saying — really listen. Don’t fear it or make excuses. Ask yourself, “Is this true?” If it is, then pretending it doesn’t exist doesn’t mean it’s not there. There’s work to be done.
We owe it to ourselves to be honest with ourselves. Criticism and feedback are tools meant to refine us. Are we bred for mediocrity or greatness?
When I was getting the AAT in Web and Graphic Design at Clark, one of the most valuable things I learned was from participating in the critiques, especially in the art classes. I hadn't taken an art class in 40 years and all my previous education was in more academic areas. Participating in them with the mindset of, "I'm going to learn from this" rather than, "OW THAT HURT MY FEELINGS!" was really great. It also helped that I thought my teachers were coming from a place of good intentions, which is somewhat harder to ascertain in the real world. I do also think people need to learn better ways to give constructive feedback. Again much harder in the real world. It helps to try to remove oneself from the equation and think about the goal of the project in more objective terms, but that's hard for humans, especially when we don't have much of a cushion these days. Anyway, great post!