Timely Feedback

When I started my first job as an engineer, I wanted to learn more about the business world. I was fascinated by the success stories and how hard work and perseverance can move mountains. My first job was fantastic. The company I worked for shipped me to Singapore on projects to build two massive offshore drilling units. Living and working in Singapore was a great experience. The Singapore experience and the fire for learning about the business world pushed me to plan to do an MBA after I completed three years of my contract.

After a long and arduous process of researching, selecting, applying and interviewing, I pursued further studies at the University of Alberta business school. In the summer of 2011, I was among the first to land in Edmonton two months before my term started. I remember how rainy it was and didn't miss the Mumbai rains. I decided to be productive with my time and started thinking of starting a blog. Blogging had been on my radar for a long time. I always doubted my ability to write, and I still do. I remember I had pushed myself to start my blog before the first day of class and document my MBA journey. I even had a few blog posts ready to go.

Reminiscing on my first introductions to my colleagues, I mentioned my blog and was proud of it. The coursework took over, and the blog writing was relegated. I was doing different kinds of writing - business writing and doing a lot of it. Most writing was based on analyzing situations or data, so it was less creative.

I remember an assignment where we had to write about our experience on a field trip as students and give our perspective on the situation. This writing assignment was one of the first, and I had painstakingly spent nights crafting that up. As the course load increased, everyone forgot about getting that assignment back.

Fast forward to the end of the year, I checked the returned assignment folder outside of Dean's office out of habit. I wasn't expecting anything, and there I found the marked first assignment. I was surprised by the feedback, which was mainly on the positive side. This boosted my confidence to write, and when I looked back on the first year, this kind of confidence boost would have helped me a bit earlier. Better late than sorry. I kept pushing myself to write better rather than just giving up as I had done before.

This one minor incident stuck with me and resolved me to be better at giving timely feedback so that my peers and colleagues can thrive with higher self-confidence. You never know how you impact another soul with a few kind, honest words. Don't bottle up your feelings, and provide timely feedback. The 12-year-old incident still fuels me to push myself. You never know how you might impact someone's life.