LEAD FORWARD BY FEED FORWARD

Umadevi S

First Year, Civil Engineering.

- The intent of this article is to show how feed forward is more preferable than a feed back in             day to day interactions

Everyone in this world wants to succeed in life. But most of us don’t have the time to lookback, discuss about and correct our failures. This is evident from the fact that most people don’t like real feedback from others. To succeed in leading others, try feed forward instead of feedback.

Perplexed about what it is ?? Let’s have a closer look at the feed forward concept. Normally, in our day to day communication, we give and receive many feedbacks. Feedback is a comment on the performance of an individual, given to him/her once the activity is completed. But feed forward is something done prior to an activity, which involves suggesting measures for improvement.Feed forward is very useful to everyone who does not worry about his/her past life.

 You will understand the usefulness of feed forward and feedback better with the following example. You cannot drive a car using only your rear view mirror. It may be useful to see what is at your back, but in order to move forward, you see what is in front. So if you want to succeed in changing your near and dear one’s nature / behavior/ character / performance / future, try feed forward. This method of communication will make people lend their ears to you, since it motivates them to do well in the future.

Here are eight reasons why we should use feed forward instead of feedback.

1. We can’t change the past. But we can change the future. Feed Forward helps people focus on a positive future.  For example, athletes are trained using feed forwards, race drivers are taught to look at the road ahead and not at the wall. By thinking forward, rather than contemplating on their past failures, one can increase the chances of success.
2. Feed forward focuses on the solutions and not on the problems, whereas feedback is often seen as a negative approach as it involves the discussion on mistakes, failures etc., 
3. Feed forward can come from anyone who knows about the task. They need not necessarily know about the individual in person .
4. People do not take feed forward personally as it involves things which are yet to happen.  
5. Feed forward can reinforce the possibility of change whereas feedback brings back failures of the past and personal stereotyping.  
6. Feed forward encompasses almost all the ingredients of feedback. For example, you gave a terrible presentation in a symposium. If the professor who is in the room gives you suggestive measures for doing well in the future, instead of making you relive the humiliating experience, you will feel better.
7. Feed forward tends to be faster and efficient than feedback. Let us say there are 4 tips to be successful. Even if you can implement two of them, you are well on course. In this approach a lot of time is being saved. By eliminating judgment of ideas, the process becomes much more positive for the sender as well as the receiver. Successful people tend to have high self-determination and tend to accept ideas that they buy, while rejecting ideas which they feel are forced upon them. 
8. People tend to listen more attentively to feed forward than a feed back because they don’t have to think of a clever reply, instead, just say ”THANK YOU”.

   Feed forward makes life a lot more enjoyable. So let us lead forward using feed forward.