In your latest posting regarding the inevitability of "mistakes" and the
advantage of learning from them as well as from our successes, I am
reminded of a phrase I picked up from somewhere over the past 15 years:
"There is no such thing as failure--only feedback!"
Now, realizing that the above statement could be intellectually accurate,
I have to admit that "emotionally" I have been trained to focus more on
the "failure" aspect than on the "feedback" side. Perhaps there is a good
balance point that acknowledges both the rational and the emotional side
and permits the kind of learning that comes from both....
>From my years as a pre-school teacher, I can testify that learning seems
to occur from all kinds of feedback, and that focus, frustration, and
delight are all a part of the mix. Criticism, excessive external
judgement (either negative _or_ positive), and anxiety seem to get in the
way the most when observing and/or experiencing the "natural" progression of
learning. (I put the quotations around "natural" in honor of the postmodern
perception of perception!)
I am also reminded of a short verse that seems to relate here. It came to
me after extensive reading in some of the organizational learning
literature on mental models, etc. I offer it for your enjoyment and
consideration.
_Believing is Seeing_
Beliefs influence perception.
Perception stuctures reality.
Reality suggests possibilities.
Possibilities generate choices.
Choices stimulate actions.
Actions affect outcomes.
Outcomes impact beliefs...
Awareness facilitates change.
Change anywhere becomes change
Everywhere.
Tobin Quereau
Austin Community College
quereau@austin.cc.tx.us