FOFO and How to Overcome

Article: Overcoming FOFO: Why Seeking Feedback is Essential for Career Growth – A SONNET, a Limerick and a Haiku at the end.

The fear of finding out, or FOFO, can be a paralyzing force in our personal and professional lives. When it comes to seeking feedback, many of us fear that we’ll discover something we don’t want to hear, or that we’ll be judged or criticized for our work.

However, feedback is essential for personal and professional growth. Without it, we can’t identify our strengths and weaknesses, or learn from our mistakes. And in today’s hybrid and remote working environment, feedback is more important than ever, as some groups are missing out on valuable opportunities for growth and development.

In particular, women, younger staff, and people of color may be missing out on feedback, as they spend less time in the office and have fewer opportunities to interact with colleagues and managers. This can have a significant impact on their career growth and trajectory, as they may not have the same access to mentorship and guidance as their peers.

So how can we overcome our FOFO and start seeking feedback? One approach is to reframe our thinking around feedback. Instead of seeing it as a negative or judgmental experience, we can view it as an opportunity for growth and development. We can also be proactive in seeking feedback, rather than waiting for it to come to us.

It’s also important to create a culture of feedback in our workplaces, where everyone feels comfortable giving and receiving feedback. This can be done by providing regular opportunities for feedback, such as performance reviews or informal check-ins, and by encouraging open and honest communication among colleagues.

Ultimately, overcoming our FOFO and seeking feedback is essential for personal and professional growth. By embracing feedback as a tool for learning and development, we can identify our strengths and weaknesses, learn from our mistakes, and reach our full potential.

Limerick:

There once was a worker named Joe,

Whose fear of feedback was quite the show,

But he learned to embrace,

The comments with grace,

And now his career’s set to grow!

Sonnet:

Oh FOFO, how you plague my mind with fear,

And keep me from the feedback I should seek,

I dread the thought of criticism near,

And judgment from those whose opinions I seek.

But in my heart, I know that feedback’s key,