Life in the classroom is different than it was just a few years ago. Students have had it drilled into them that during class discussions, above all else, they must not offend. A study by the Knight Foundation (conducted in 2019) found that 68% of college students say that “the campus climate prevents them from expressing their true opinions for fear of offending their classmates.”
This new ethic makes open and honest conversations in my classes about business ideas and broader discussions about business related issues difficult to foster.
Cold Reality of Entrepreneurship
The trend of trying “not to offend” has made preparing young entrepreneurs for the world of (dare I say it) free enterprise problematic.
Markets have no feelings. Customers don’t worry about trying to “not offend” a business when choosing not to do business with it. If a competitor does a better job of meeting the needs of the consumer, that is where consumers will spend their money. Period.
My job has always been to prepare entrepreneurs for this brutal world. I do this by challenging them to get honest feedback from the market about their idea by teaching them the tools they need to get information (good and bad) to use to improve their business models. My job then becomes reinforcing the message the market is giving them as I coach and mentor them.
I described my role in a blog post that I wrote a dozen years ago:
Entrepreneurs seem to always have plenty of cheerleaders. Family and friends are there for encouragement and lifting your spirits. A good mentor is someone who will tell you the truth — even if it hurts. My students and alumni will sometimes refer to being “Cornwalled”. When they bring their ideas or fledgling businesses to me for advice, my job is to try to find every weak spot, every possible flaw, every vulnerability they face in the competitive market. One student once said to me, “Dr. Cornwall, you are such a Dreamkiller.” As much as I would love to join the ranks of cheerleaders, I know that my role has to be to help ensure they get their business right and find their way to be able to thrive in the market.
Criticism is Not Failure
A common reaction I see from many young entrepreneurs when they are given constructive criticism of their ideas is that they either ignore the information or they give up on their idea.
Last semester I used our family business in an introductory class as an example of the process entrepreneurs go through when pivoting their business models. When we launched our business, the market challenged our assumptions on multiple occasions. Each time, we used the information to pivot our business model to help our business thrive.
My intent with this example was to offer a concrete example of the reality of the entrepreneurial journey. Entrepreneurship requires open-mindedness, determination, and persistence. My goal was to encourage and inspire them. For many in that classroom, it had the opposite effect — it discouraged and even demoralized many of them.
The message we need to offer to this generation is that criticism is not failure. And in many cases, criticism is a critical ingredient for eventual success.
All is Not Lost
What is encouraging to me is that not all of my students are unwilling to hear honest feedback about their ideas. In fact, if approached the right way, many are actually quite receptive.
However, I have had to make significant adjustments in my approach to teaching young, aspiring entrepreneurs. I have learned to be a bit more measured in how I coach them. Rather than starting with a blast of honesty, I slowly build to a crescendo of constructive feedback. I have learned to be more patient. I have learned the power of being kind, compassionate, empathetic….and honest.
I continue to be very proud of the number of students who are becoming successful entrepreneurs. They understand the importance of listening to the market and seeking constructive feedback from mentors. Most importantly, they are learning to not be offended by honesty.
Hi Dr. Cornwall,
This reminds me of our discussion in class the other day. The Knight Foundation study you quoted was surprising to me, because if students don’t express themselves in the college environment it will be even harder in a work environment to begin doing so. In studying journalism, I’ve become very honest with giving feedback and corrections on classmates’ writing. I don’t hold back on what I think because my opinion could give them a chance to rethink their work or improve. I will work to bring that type of feedback into my study of entrepreneurship as well. As you said, “criticism is not failure”!
So refreshing to hear the current state honestly stated… glad to hear you are finding success regardless…
As a current student, a lot of this post resonated with what I see in classrooms everyday, and relates to discussions that we have in our Foundations of Entrepreneurship class. We are constantly learning that the entrepreneurial process is one that involves setbacks and pivots, and is in no way a straightforward shot to success. I appreciate how this post highlights the value of honesty and feedback as a way to improve your business, not as a way to tear you down. Unfortunately, I agree that a lot of students view criticism as failure, and are therefore scared of it. However, it is relieving to learn that it is actually one of the best ways that we can improve and grow. I think if more students began to view criticism as a tool, they might be more receptive to hearing what others have to say.
I strongly agree that many students my age do not tend to react well to criticism. A lot of young adults today will receive ten compliments and one criticism on a given idea, and will be focused on and discouraged about the one criticism. I personally think that in order to be successful, you must be willing to accept honesty and criticism. As we talked about in the classroom recently, entrepreneurs must pivot according to their environment and circumstances; this includes honest feedback from their customers regardless of if it is positive or negative. In order to be successful in one’s endeavors, one must be willing to hear the truth–even if it is not what they want to hear.
Dear Jeff,
thanks, it’s a good read! I agree that not all is lost. My students are more than happy and thankful to receive speicfic feedback/critic beside their grading.
Best regards from Hamburg
Florian
If I am trying to succeed, whether it be school or in business, having someone tell me the truth prepares me for the real world. Having these cheerleaders is encouraging because someone cares enough about you and your mission in order to offer their insight. This does not mean that it should be done in a careless or harsh manner. As with the students in the class room being offended, an opinion should not offend unless it is offered in a thoughtless or inconsiderate way, and after all the ability to be offended is a personal matter. This post outlines the very realistic side of criticism, constructive and otherwise, while connecting it to the real world. The possibility to encourage, support and inspire can cooperate with criticism and work hand in hand, but it should be done in a kindly and loving manner in order to obtain the full benefit and contribute most to the success of the individual.