How Peer Review Improves Organizations

When I was a performance arts student I participated in vocal music master classes.

Master classes consist of performing for other students where each person receives honest feedback about the strengths of their performance and how to improve. These occurred near the end of the semester to help us prepare for final exams.

I always found master classes supportive and helpful. They had a single aim of strengthening the quality of our performances.

During the process I always learned. Sometimes I learned not to be so critical about some parts of my performance. Sometimes I received insight into things I hadn’t even considered. 

Getting feedback from my peers was an added level of support. I looked forward to it.

In academia there is a similar peer review feedback loop. Here, peer review is typically an anonymous evaluation of one’s professional work by others working in the same field.

Again, the goal is improvement – discussing the strengths of a research study or paper and giving feedback to the writer on how to improve.

Peer review in academia is harsher than in the arts - perhaps the ability to hide behind anonymity rather than sharing openly face-to-face creates this environment. But the result is still the same. I learn, and my work is better for it. 

Many types of organizations have built-in feedback loops to improve the quality of their work too.

Pixar is one. This company openly shares how the quality of their films is based on early and open feedback.

According to Pixar CEO, Ed Catmull in the book Creativity, Inc (2014) Pixar has found that showing incomplete work where everyone is free to make suggestions helps people become more creative. Personal agendas are put aside. Motivation to get credit for an idea, pleasing supervisors or winning a point, often found in many work-related interactions, don’t occur during this process. There is no room for it.

“By making the struggles to solve the problems safe to discuss, then everyone learns from – and inspires - one another.  The whole activity becomes socially rewarding and productive” (Catmull, 2014)

Participation requires empathy, clarity, generosity and the ability to listen to others. It also requires a recognition that quality is magnified by working together.

Peer review is such a valuable tool and one that is underutilized.

Organizations would be much stronger if peer reviews or feedback loops were authentically built into their every-day processes. The strength and quality of all parts of an organization would improve.

This small act has great rewards. Organizations can’t help but improve if honest feedback is sought.

Take a moment and consider, where might you be able to add peer review or a feedback loop into your organization?

It may make all the difference.

Best wishes, Lauren

P.s. If you would like help determining how to build feedback loops into your organization, consider booking a free 30-minute consultation to see if we can help.