The Harvard-Backed Trick to Accelerate Skill Development: Ask for Advice, Not Feedback

Core Message

To receive more effective and actionable input for personal growth, you should ask for “advice” rather than “feedback.” This simple linguistic shift, backed by Harvard research, changes the nature of the conversation from a critique of the past to a constructive plan for the future, yielding significantly better guidance.

Key Points & Findings

• The Problem with “Feedback”: Asking a general question like “How did I do?” often results in vague, polite, and unhelpful responses (e.g., “It was great!”). This type of feedback lacks the specific, constructive details needed for genuine improvement, especially for those aiming for mastery.
• The Power of “Advice”: A Harvard Business School study found that people who asked for advice (e.g., “What could I do better?”) received 34% more specific areas for improvement and 56% more actionable suggestions compared to those who asked for feedback.
• Future-Focused vs. Past-Focused: Asking for feedback centers the conversation on a past event that cannot be changed. In contrast, asking for advice prompts the other person to think about future possibilities and improvements, making the input inherently more practical and forward-looking.
• Psychological Comfort: Giving critical feedback can be awkward, causing people to hold back to avoid hurting feelings. When you ask for advice, you flatter the other person by acknowledging their expertise, making them more comfortable and willing to share open, honest, and concrete suggestions.

Conclusion & Takeaway

The most significant takeaway is that emotionally intelligent individuals strategically ask for advice to get the input they truly need for growth. Instead of asking how you did, reframe your question to be more advice-oriented. For your next project, presentation, or interview, try asking: “What’s one thing I could do better next time?” or “If you were in my shoes, how would you have approached this?” This simple change can unlock higher-quality, more developmental guidance.

Mentoring Question for the Reader:

Think about the last time you sought input on your performance. How could you rephrase your request from seeking “feedback” to asking for “advice” to get more actionable insights for your next attempt?

Source: https://zwierciadlo.pl/psychologia/550964,1,chcesz-szybciej-rozwijac-swoje-umiejetnosci-badacze-z-harvardu-wskazali-prosty-trik-ktory-zwiekszy-twoj-potencjal.read