Feedback
Moat
A Feedback Literacy Barrier
The Castle Walls
Protecting the Expert
We identify so strongly with a skill—like design or coding—that critique feels like an attack on our identity rather than our output.
Result: Stagnation through defense.
Draining the Moat
Open Information Flow
By lowering the barrier, we allow feedback to reach us. We separate our “self” from our “skill set,” viewing critiques as data for improvement.
Result: Professional Catapult.
The Illusion of Openness
Intellectually, it is easy to claim we are open to feedback. We may have said it so often—to our teams and to ourselves—that we’ve come to believe it. However, the Feedback Moat is often invisible. It is only through rigorous self-reflection and journaling that many discover they have built defenses around specific, sensitive performance areas.
Outdated Strengths
When a moat is built, two things happen: you stop seeking feedback on that topic, and you receive unsolicited feedback poorly. Combined, these factors cause your greatest strengths to become outdated. In a rapidly changing professional landscape, a moat doesn’t just protect you; it traps you in a version of yourself that is no longer evolving.
Draining the Moat
Draining the moat requires approaching professional development from multiple angles. It involves improving your feedback orientation—your fundamental receptivity to being challenged. For leaders, this means modeling authentic leadership: dropping the “role-play” and standing bravely and vulnerably in front of your team.