Ahmed Shaami
Most people loathe negative feedback because they feel they are being told to have failed in meeting expectations. It can be a serious blow to the ego especially if they are used to people singing their praises. But criticism is a crucial part of life and nobody should try to avoid it.
However, receiving negative feedback is never easy, no matter what stage or career you are in. it is natural to get defensive or upset when you are faced with something negative that you are faced with. But, the truth is that receiving criticism is an incredible opportunity to show your capability for learning and growth.
When you are able to take negative feedback and act on it, you become more valuable than someone who never takes risks in the first place. Following are the ways for you to accept and act whenever you are given a negative feedback:
Don’t take it personally:
When you get negative feedback as an employee, remember that it is nothing personal and is only related to your performance at work. This feedback has nothing to do with how nice and fun you are and how you live your personal life. This feedback is just given to make you do your job well. Telling you how to perform better is for the well-being of the entire team. When you are given something to work on, it is the responsibility of the people you are working with to tell you if you are wrong.
Listen and take careful notes:
Upon getting a negative feedback, you try to respond as quickly as you can and become defensive on your side. But if you focus on listening and taking down the observations, you will more likely capture the areas that need improvement. Once you focus on improving on what you are being given the feedback, you will grow and become successful.
Show what an improvement looks life:
Once you get done with the conversation, it is time to work on the counter-image that what an improvement actually looks like. This will help you realize a vision. Don’t think how it will all work, instead, focus on making it happen, accounting for all the observations that have been provided in the feedback and to experience the success.
Think from other people’s perspective:
Your supervisor may have given you feedback because it was considered best for you and your team. For understanding it on a better level, put yourself in their shoes and ask how you would have reacted. It is even challenging from a manager’s point of view to tell an employee that they are not doing a good job because there are always chances that people don’t improve. But keep the organization’s best interests in mind and it will become easier for you to accept and act wisely on the negative feedback.
