Receiving Constructive Feedback
May 29, 2023
As we have learned in this month's pearls, feedback is a gift. However, receiving constructive feedback might feel like something other than a gift.
Managing people is hard. Your manager may be apprehensive or nervous about providing constructive feedback as they might be concerned about how it will be received. This concern might impact their ability to provide constructive feedback successfully. Your manager is human too. Give them a break, assume positive intent, and that the feedback will help you improve your performance and growth.
Harvard Business Review lists the following five helpful tips in the article, The Right Way to Respond to Negative Feedback.
- Don't rush to react
- Get more data
- Find a harbinger
- Don't be a lonely martyr
- Remember that change is just one option.
Asking clarifying questions to get more data is an essential tool. When done neutrally and with gratitude, it can demonstrate your commitment to accepting feedback and changing your behavior. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Can you tell me what you mean by x, y, z?" is a great way to acknowledge the feedback and get more information, as well as a foundational step in building a better working relationship with your manager.
Building a better working relationship with your manager is where we will go next month as we explore Managing UP.
Got time for more? Check out this short video from Deborah Grayson Riegel where she provides thirteen common reactions to constructive/negative feedback and three strategies to manage them.