B-schools sometimes attach particular significance to how you respond to criticism because this tells them some important things about your character.
For instance, a Chicago Booth question asks you to “describe a time when you were surprised by feedback that you received. What was the feedback and why were you surprised?”
Tuck puts it this way: “Describe the most difficult constructive criticism or feedback you have received. How did you address it? What have you learned from it?”
If you dismiss all criticism straightaway, it reveals that you have a closed mind, which is not what any b-school would want.
If you accept all criticism without question, it shows that you lack both in confidence and judgement, and that makes you poor leadership material.
If you weigh the criticism that comes your way, accept what is valid and reject what is not, and thereafter take suitable measures to set right whatever it is that needs correction, then you emerge as a mature, self-aware person who is capable of continuous growth. This is exactly the stuff true leaders are made of.
The details of how you answer feedback questions will, of course, depend on the specific question, but generally speaking, these are the steps you should try to cover:
If you have the strength of mind to be self-critical, it is possible that you yourself, without being told by others, come to the realization that a piece of work that you have executed could have been done better. It is to see whether you have the capacity of this kind of ‘self-feedback’ that Wharton asks you, “Tell us about something significant that you have done to improve yourself, in either your professional and/or personal endeavors.”
Basically, LORs constitute a kind of feedback on how you go about your work, and it would be a good idea to discuss with your recommenders what exactly the adcoms are looking for in the feedback questions put to them. When, for example, Stanford asks your recommender, “Describe the most constructive feedback you have given the candidate. Please also detail the circumstances that caused you to give the feedback,” his/her answer should incorporate your positive response to the feedback, the constructive steps you took as a consequence, and the improved results you achieved.
Feedback is essential for improving performance. It serves as a guide to let you know how others perceive your performance, and helps get you back on track. It is believed that a large number of organizations lack in performance feedback – a phenomenon Full Circle Feedback has referred to as ‘the feedback famine,’ and acts to the individual’s and organization’s detriment. Therefore, if you have been given constructive feedback, there is good reason for you to consider yourself lucky. Reflect this fact in your application.
Click here to review my clients’ feedbacks, including video testimonials!
