Tearing down bitter walls to build a road of TRUST

Through the INNOVATION ACADEMY I've experienced education from a totally different perspective. The IA hasn't only taught me knowledge and skills that I will apply in the future, but it has taught me how to apply them and how to stand up when I fall down. Everything we learn here is perfectly translated to the real-world. The IA is not another high school education program, it is a real life experience, where your skills are knowledge are put into a REAL-WORLD test.

SCHOOL

LIFE

Through the IA I've learned that communication is extremely important to be successful, not only in the family room, the classroom, but also in the boardroom. The IA simulates the real business world so precisel; through BLENDZ and my overall experience, I've come to realize that communication is vital to have a striving company. When you think about communication you immediately relate it to talking and writing, yet communication also encompasses listening. Yes, speaking and writing are essential too, but without good LISTENING skills you are missing a key component to flourish your communication skill. 

The listening element becomes indispensable in the business world when co-workers and bosses are receiving FEEDBACK. Feedback is CRUCIAL everywhere in order to create a healthy environment, workplace. The curious thing is that people love to acknowledge others and also love to be recognized; when it comes to giving and listening to positive feedback it's ear candy. However, when it comes to constructive feedback, giving or receiving, many of us lay back and rather remain silent. Believe me, I've experienced this before and it won't get any easier if you don't practice it, and it's a vital skill in the business world. We in the IA have started to work with this skill. About half a year ago, when we started crowdsourcing of grades a wave of tension and nervousness invaded the room. People didn't feel comfortable sharing feedback, especially negative feedback. The first few people that went through the feedback were put in the spotlight --suddenly-- and felt discomfort. However, little by little as more people went by as a class we began to tare down that uncomfortable wall and started to build a road of TRUST. The problem was exactly there; we didn't TRUST each other enough to give feedback. 

Immediately after that first crowdsourcing grades session I felt a HUGE relief; I must admit I felt uncomfortable at first, but then I begun to feel good about sharing what I thought and also understanding what others thought of me as well. Today, we conducted the same experience and I thought it was going to be awkward, like the last time, but it was totally natural and helpful. The feedback we gave out and received was SMART; this feedback will not only help us grow us individuals, but also as a company. Today I felt there was 100 times more trust than the first time we did it, thus I am sure that the final time we do this will be with 100 times more trust. Giving and receiving feedback to your friends, family, co-workers and bosses builds a culture of excellence, an ambiance of transparency and openness, and it allows a company to work on its weaknesses in order to reach its vision. The feedback given to an individual impacts the whole company because we minimize our weaknesses-- by understanding and working with them-- in order to be more efficient and better. 

Finally it's important to deliver feedback constantly, the more you give it and receive it the easier it becomes. Feedback helps us become better, it helps us grow, this is why it should be given to the person directly INSTEAD of complaining about that person. To uplift the environment of a company, to exemplify its values, and accomplish its goals TRUST is significant, and the only way you will earn it is by giving and receiving feedback that is kind, helpful and concise.