Mary Catherine Bateson on feedback

I hadn’t really connected (business/work) performance related feedback to systems control and cybernetics before, but this interview with Mary Catherine Bateson made me think a lot. (Via Lot2046)

I would say that the great majority of Americans still believe that “positive feedback” is when someone pats you on the back and says you did a good job. What positive feedback is saying is, do more of the same. So, if what you’re doing is taking heroin or quarreling with your neighbor, this is just going to lead to trouble. Negative feedback corrects what you’re doing. It’s not somebody saying, “That was a lousy speech.” It’s somebody saying, “Reverse course. Stop building more bombs. Stop taking in more alcohol faster. Slow down.” Negative feedback is corrective feedback.

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