Marshall Goldsmith Shows Why Feedforward Works Better than Feedback

In a blog post related to advice for future actions, adapted from his new book The Earned Life, the renowned leadership expert and bestselling author Marshall Goldsmith talks about how providing advice for the future, rather than comments on past behavior, can help a person grow.

Goldsmith writes, “Feedforward was my counterpoint to feedback, the more common term for an exchange of workplace opinion. Whereas feedback comprises people’s opinion of your past behavior, feedforward represents other people’s ideas that you should be using in the future.”

Russia and Ukraine are waging a war on the ground and a war of information. Russia’s state media is portraying the surrender of Ukrainian soldiers at the steel plant in Mariupol as a victory despite the protracted fighting for that city. Ukraine saluted the soldiers as heroes, while trying to focus the world’s attention on the trial of a young Russian soldier broadcast on YouTube. The soldier is accused of killing a civilian, and the trial has taken on added symbolic resonance as an effort to hold the Russians accountable on accusations of war crimes before the world. The point is to win the world’s attention and its respect. Ukraine is still winning. President Volodymyr Zelensky is seen as speaking the truth rather than propaganda. He is speaking to the future rather than criticizing the past — or living in the past, as Russia seems to be doing.

In The Earned Life Goldsmith uncovers the source of today’s existential crises, including regrets that stem from choices that irrevocably alter our lives, reroute destinies, and haunt our memories. These are particularly timely themes today.

With Goldsmith’s book as a guide, readers can close the gap between what they plan to achieve and what they actually get done—even in a world full of inescapable unfairness and curveballs—and live an earned life that is fulfilling in the long run.

You can read Marshall Goldsmith’s blog here.

About MARSHALL GOLDSMITH

Marshall Goldsmith has been recognized for years as the world’s leading executive coach and the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, Mojo, and Triggers. He received his Ph.D. from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. In his coaching practice, Goldsmith has advised more than 200 major CEOs and their management teams. He and his wife live in Nashville, Tennessee.

About THE EARNED LIFE

In THE EARNED LIFE (Currency Books), Marshall Goldsmith uncovers the source of today’s existential crisis: regret, the kind stemming from choices that irrevocably alter our lives, reroutes destinies, and haunts our memories—particularly timely themes as the pandemic and Great Resignation inspire people to seek meaning in their lives, get unstuck and make changes. With this book as their guide, readers can close the gap between what they plan to achieve and what they actually get done—even in a world full of inescapable unfairness and curveballs—and live an earned life too fulfilling to dwell on the “what ifs.”

If you’d like more information on Marshall Goldsmith, The Earned Life, and his work, please get in touch with Lyda Goldsmith.