Why your brain needs negative feedback by Niki Weber Date March 9, 2013 Linked In linkedin.com/in/NikiWeber Hashtag #badbrain Email [email protected] Research Lead Adam Wiese Feedback Url sxsw.tv/cqp
Dec 16, 2014
Why your brain needs negative feedback
by Niki Weber
DateMarch 9, 2013
Linked Inlinkedin.com/in/NikiWeber
Hashtag#badbrain
Research LeadAdam Wiese
Feedback Url sxsw.tv/cqp
Why your brain needs negative feedback
my 2012 SXSW talk
2
A look back at
Why your brain needs negative feedback The set-up
5 REASONS YOU SHOULD STOP INVESTING IN FACEBOOK
Why your brain needs negative feedback3 Why your brain needs negative feedback The set-up
connect with the audienceThe topic seemed to
Why your brain needs negative feedback4
Facebook seems
to be a fan
Why your brain needs negative feedback The set-up
Why your brain needs negative feedback5 Why your brain needs negative feedback The set-up
I failed to account for
the SXSW bubble
Why your brain needs negative feedback6 Why your brain needs negative feedback The set-up
At sxsw
Kool-aid is guzzled
Why your brain needs negative feedback7 Why your brain needs negative feedback The set-up
But, too much
Kool-aid can be damaging
CREATIVE CULTURE
8
The perfect
sequence of events
Why your brain needs negative feedback The set-up
MANAGINGMILLENNIALS
SXSWBUBBLE
FULL-TIMESTART-UPS BRAIN TRAINING
START-UP
FIGHTCLUB
The set-up9 Why your brain needs negative feedback
CREATIVE CULTURE
10
The perfect
sequence of events
Why your brain needs negative feedback The set-up
MANAGINGMILLENNIALS
SXSWBUBBLE
FULL-TIMESTART-UPS BRAIN TRAINING
START-UP
FIGHTCLUB
The positive benefits of
negative feedback +–
Why your brain needs negative feedback 11 The set-up
Why your brain needs negative feedback
POSITIVE
POWER of
POSITIVITY
NEGATIVE
POWER of
FAILING
12 Why your brain needs negative feedback
spotThe sweet
The pre-emption
DR. CAROL DWECKProfessor of Psychology at Stanford UniversityPh.D. Social and Developmental Psychology, Yale University
DR. CHRISTIAN STADLERAssociate Professor in Strategic ManagementWarwick Business School, University of Bath School of Management, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and Innsbruck University
DR. JASON MOSERAssistant Professor at Michigan State UniversityPh.D. University of Delaware 2009 in Clinical Psychology
HENRY POLOSKIEngineer and author of “To Error is Human” and “To Forgive Design: Understanding Failure”
DR. NANCY BUCKPh.D. in developmental psychology Creator of “Peaceful Parenting”
DR. DAVE NUSSBAUMAdjunct Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago; Worked with Carol Dweck at Stanford
DR. ROY BAUMEISTERFSU Professor and author of “Bad is Stronger than Good”
TERESA AMABILEEdsel Bryant Ford Professor of Business Administration at HarvardDirector of Research
DR. KEITH WILCOXAssistant Professor of Marketing, Columbia University, 2012 – PresentAssistant Professor of Marketing, Babson College, 2009 – 2012Lecturer, Baruch College, 2005 –2009
ANDREW STEPHENSAssistant Professor of Business Administration and Katz Fellow in MarketingDecision, Operations and Information TechnologyPhD (with distinction) - marketing, Columbia UniversityMPhil - marketing, Columbia UniversityBBus (Honors) - marketing, University of Queensland, AustraliaBEng (Honors) - civil engineering, University of Queensland, Australia
HARA ESTROFF MARANO Editor at Large of Psychology Today
JOHN CACIOPPOTiffany & Margaret Blake Distinguished Service Professor at the University of ChicagoDirector, Center for Cognitive and Social NeuroscienceDirector, Social Neuroscience Laboratory
helped make this a realityThe experts who
13 Why your brain needs negative feedback The pre-emption
helped me in my career and has been integral to my success. Every time I fail I find a new hole in my performance, writing and work ethic that I can only fix after negative feedback from a crowd. Only by failing repeatedly and aggressively can I ever hope to become perfect.”
Negative feedback has only
- Anthony Jeselnik
“
14 Why your brain needs negative feedback The pre-emption
15
Let’s lay
the groundwork
Why your brain needs negative feedback The pre-emption
16 Why your brain needs negative feedback
The problem:
Cultural kumbaya
FROMhere
TOhere
Unlimite
d Trop
hies
Good E
noug
h
You’r
e So S
mart
Feed
back
Sand
wich
Passi
ve
Status
Quo
Limite
d Edit
ion
Not Goo
d Eno
ugh
You R
eally
Work
Hard
Growth
Feed
back
Active
Challe
nging
Your
Brain
The pre-emption
Regarding the elephant in the room:
I’m not advocating being an ass
The pre-emption17 Why your brain needs negative feedback
in the spirit of growth and progressobjective criticism
failuregrowth mindset
experimentationstress
resiliencemistake
errorrisk
adversitysurprise
optimism
This is
negative feedback
18 Why your brain needs negative feedback The pre-emption
providing vague, unmeasurable feedbackhaving no light at the end of the tunnel
partaking in avoidable errorsbeing mean and biting
postulating thoughtlessly having a temper
observing in silenceengaging in cynacism
complainingoppression
19 Why your brain needs negative feedback
This is not
negative feedback
The pre-emption
A quick
level-set
The level-set
Why your brain needs negative feedback21 Why your brain needs negative feedback The level-set
A form of learning whereby an individual changes its behavior because of the
consequences (results) of the behavior.(The person or animal learns its behavior has a consequence.)
Operant conditioning
Brain basics:
Why your brain needs negative feedback22
"The principal activities of brains are making changes in themselves."—Marvin L. Minsky (from Society of the Mind, 1986)
Neuroplasticity
Why your brain needs negative feedback
Brain basics:
The level-set
Why your brain needs negative feedback
Negative bias
Why your brain needs negative feedback
Negativity bias is the psychological phenomenon by which humans pay more
attention to and give more weight to negative rather than positive experiences
or other kinds of information
23
Brain basics:
The level-set
Why your brain needs negative feedback24 Why your brain needs negative feedback The level-set
A negative feedback
warm-up
Why your brain needs negative feedback25 Why your brain needs negative feedback
The Coach
You gave great effort but
The level-set
Why your brain needs negative feedback26 Why your brain needs negative feedback
The Tailor
That dress looks amazing but
The level-set
Why your brain needs negative feedback27 Why your brain needs negative feedback
The Parent
Nice effort but
The level-set
28 Why your brain needs negative feedback
29 Why your brain needs negative feedback
Fact#1“The mother of all facts”
GROWTH MIND-SETS LEAD TO MORE FUTURE SUCCESS THAN FIXED.
the facts
Why your brain needs negative feedback30Why your brain needs negative feedback
The mind-setFixed GrowthINTELLIGENCE
IS STATICINTELLIGENCE CAN BE DEVELOPED
Leads to a desire to look smart and
therefore a tendency to...
Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to...
the facts
Why your brain needs negative feedback31 Why your brain needs negative feedback
Challenges
EMBRACECHALLENGES
AVOID CHALLENGES
Fixed GrowthINTELLIGENCE
IS STATICINTELLIGENCE CAN BE DEVELOPED
Leads to a desire to look smart and
therefore a tendency to...
Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to...
The mind-set
the facts
Why your brain needs negative feedback32 Why your brain needs negative feedback
Obstacles
PERSIST IN THE FACE OFSETBACKS
GIVE UPEASILY
Fixed GrowthINTELLIGENCE
IS STATICINTELLIGENCE CAN BE DEVELOPED
Leads to a desire to look smart and
therefore a tendency to...
Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to...
The mind-set
the facts
Why your brain needs negative feedback33 Why your brain needs negative feedback
Success of Others
FIND LESSONS AND INSPIRATIONIN THE SUCCESS OF OTHERS
FEEL THREATENED
BY THE SUCCESS
OF OTHERS
Fixed GrowthINTELLIGENCE
IS STATICINTELLIGENCE CAN BE DEVELOPED
Leads to a desire to look smart and
therefore a tendency to...
Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to...
The mind-set
the facts
Why your brain needs negative feedback34 Why your brain needs negative feedback
REACH EVER HIGHER LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT
MAY PLATEAUEARLY AND
ACHIEVE LESSTHAN THEIR
FULL POTENTIAL
Fixed GrowthINTELLIGENCE
IS STATICINTELLIGENCE CAN BE DEVELOPED
Leads to a desire to look smart and
therefore a tendency to...
Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to...
Achievement
The mind-set
the facts
Why your brain needs negative feedback35 Why your brain needs negative feedback
Effort
SEE EFFORT AS A PATH TO MASTERY
SEE EFFORT AS FRUITLESSOR WORSE
Fixed GrowthINTELLIGENCE
IS STATICINTELLIGENCE CAN BE DEVELOPED
Leads to a desire to look smart and
therefore a tendency to...
Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to...
The mind-set
the facts
Why your brain needs negative feedback36 Why your brain needs negative feedback
Criticism
LEARN FROMCRITICISM
IGNORE USEFUL
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
Fixed GrowthINTELLIGENCE
IS STATICINTELLIGENCE CAN BE DEVELOPED
Leads to a desire to look smart and
therefore a tendency to...
Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to...
The mind-set
the facts
Why your brain needs negative feedback
ALL THIS CONFIRMS A
DETERMINISTICVIEW OF THE
WORLD
ALL THIS GIVES THEM A GREATER SENSE OF FREE WILL
37 Why your brain needs negative feedback
Fixed GrowthINTELLIGENCE
IS STATICINTELLIGENCE CAN BE DEVELOPED
Leads to a desire to look smart and
therefore a tendency to...
Leads to a desire to learn and therefore a tendency to...
Result
The mind-set
the facts
38 Why your brain needs negative feedback
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK TRIGGERS MORE
STIMULATION IN THE BRAIN THAN POSITIVE
FEEDBACK
Fact #2:
the facts
39 Why your brain needs negative feedback
Fact #3:NEGATIVE
REINFORCEMENT CAUSES FASTER LEARNING THAN
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT
the facts
NEGATIVE FEEDBACKIS INSTINCTUAL
Fact #4:
40Why your brain needs negative feedback The factsthe facts
41 Why your brain needs negative feedback
ALL NEGATIVE FEEDBACK IS NOT EQUAL
Fact #5:
the facts
NEGATIVE IS STRONGER THAN POSITIVE FROM AN EMOTIONAL AND
COGNITIVE STANDPOINT
Fact #6:
42 Why your brain needs negative feedback the facts
43 Why your brain needs negative feedback
TOO MUCH POSITIVE FEEDBACK HAS BEEN PROVEN TO MAKE A
PERSON LESS TOLERANT OF RISK AND CRITICISM,
LESS CURIOUS, AND LESS CREATIVE
Fact #7:
the facts
44 Why your brain needs negative feedback
Fact#8:WE EXPERIENCE
BIOLOGICAL GROWTH IN THE WAKE OF
MODERATE TRAUMA
the facts
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK IS MORE INFORMATIVE
THAN POSITIVE
Fact #9:
45 Why your brain needs negative feedback the facts
46 Why your brain needs negative feedback
NEGATIVE EVENTS WEAR OFF MORE SLOWLY
THAN POSITIVE ONES
Fact #10:
the facts
Fact #11:WHEN YOU LEARN, YOU PHYSICALLY CHANGE THE
STRUCTURE OF YOUR BRAIN
47 Why your brain needs negative feedback the facts
YOUR BRAIN SOMETIMESRESISTS LEARNING
BECAUSEIT TRIES TO AVOID
DISCOMFORT
Fact #12:
48 Why your brain needs negative feedback the facts
Fact #13:FAILURE TO LEARN NEW
THINGS KILLS NEURONS
49 Why your brain needs negative feedback the facts
Fact #14:LEARN MORE FROM DOING
AND EVEN MORE SO FROM TEACHING
50Why your brain needs negative feedback the facts
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK CAN MOLD EXPERTS
Fact #15:
51 Why your brain needs negative feedback the facts
52 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
= +
INNOVATION CREATIVITYHIGH
PERFORMINGBRAIN
Implicationstoward a better you
53 Why your brain needs negative feedback
= +
INNOVATION CREATIVITYHIGH
PERFORMINGBRAIN
so let’s start withYOUR BRAIN
The take-aways
Implicationstoward a better you
get your brain in shapeTo be a better you
54 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
pay attention and focusTo be a better you
55 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
stock your brain with quality furniture
To be a better you
56 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
hone & expand your brain
To be a better you
57 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
try to foster the best feedback culture at home
To be a better parent
58 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
Why your brain needs negative feedback59
being a badass but don’t be an ass
To be a better leader, be comfortable
The take-awaysWhy your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
60
so let’s focus onCREATIVITY
Why your brain needs negative feedback
= +
INNOVATION CREATIVITYHIGH
PERFORMINGBRAIN
The take-aways
Implicationstoward a better you
go experienceTo be creative
61 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
be surprisedTo be creative
62 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
provide your brain with rest & balance
To be creative
63 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
study failuresTo be creative
64Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
karate chop cynicsTo be creative
65 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
66
so let’s focus onINNOVATION
Why your brain needs negative feedback
= +
INNOVATION CREATIVITYHIGH
PERFORMINGBRAIN
The take-aways
Implicationstoward a better you
dare to take risksTo be innovative
67 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
be open to feedback and criticismTo be innovative
68Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
build a diverse teamTo be innovative
69Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
celebrate and reward talent
To be an innovative leader
70 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
cultivate a premier brain culture To be a innovative leader
71 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
befriend a neuroscientistTo be innovative
72 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
design with the brain in mindTo be an innovative designer
73 Why your brain needs negative feedback The take-aways
Why your brain needs negative feedback74 Why your brain needs negative feedback
To be innovative
develop & use yourinternal bullshit meter
The take-aways
Why your brain needs negative feedback75
I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance.”
- Socrates
“
Why your brain needs negative feedback The closing
Why your brain needs negative feedback76
Your mission:
if you so choose to take it
53 Why your brain needs negative feedback The closing
Why your brain needs negative feedback77
My challenge:
if you so choose to take it
Why your brain needs negative feedback The closing
Why your brain needs negative feedback78
And be prepared
to be wrongyourself
Why your brain needs negative feedback The closing
Why your brain needs negative feedback79 The closingWhy your brain needs negative feedback
How to be a
successful heretic
BE RIGHTdiligence before oratory
BE BOASTFULabout your topic
BE A DOERas well as a talker
BE INDOMITABLEif not invincible
BE DIPLOMATICnot maybe all the time
BE EVERYWHEREa pint is worth 1000 words
BE PITHYespecially under pressure
BE INSPIRATIONALwith a team that’s organizational
BE SELFLESSremember that control is only a means to an end
BE RIGHTand be able to explain why to experts and laymen
by Aubrey de Grey
thank you’sShout-outs &
So many have helped to gather research and provide feedback on the story shared today...no one more than ADAM WIESE. Thank you for everything. I couldn’t have done this without you.
Thanks to the professors for their incredible input and expertise.
Additionally, a special thanks to my friends who provided feedback along the way:
NICK DRAKE | DAN GOLDSTEIN | MICHELLE DICKENS
Thanks to Anthony Jeselnik for participating.
Finally, thanks to JPGCREATIVE for his incredible design skills. You always help take the story to new levels. Thank you.
And if you’re willing to spend the time to provide feedback, I’d love to hear it: sxsw.tv/cqp
80Why your brain needs negative feedback The closinglinkedin.com/in/NikiWeber #[email protected]
81 Why your brain needs negative feedback The closing
The Foundations of Science (Henri Poincaré, 1908)
The Art of Scientific Investigation (William I.B. Beveridge, 1957)
Reality is Broken (Jane McGonigal, 2011)
Being Wrong (Kathryn Schulz, 2011)
Top Dog: The Science of Winning and Losing (Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, 2013)
Thinking, Fast and Slow (Daniel Kahneman, 2013)
This Will Make You Smarter: New Scientific Concepts to Improve Your Thinking(John Brockman, 2012)
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business(Charles Duhigg, 2012)
Half Empty (David Rakoff, 2010)
good readsA few