Receiving feedback in the workplace isn’t always easy. Sometimes it can be hard to take constructive (or negative) feedback and turn it into a positive response. If you have received feedback that was not up to your expectations, the last thing you want to do is cause an emotional outburst. Here are some top tips on how you can control yourself with negative feedback, avoid confrontation and utilize feedback to become a better employee.
- Let your boss express his or her ideas fully: always be sure to let your boss finish what she/he is saying and do your best to understand what is being said. Paraphrasing exactly what you are being told and making sure to let the other person finish is very important. This way you can demonstrate that you’ve heard their opinion and that they had full opportunity to express their opinion.
- Always evaluate feedback: Looking for particular reasons for a particular feedback you got is important. Be sure to look at the situation and examine some of the underlying aspects. If your boss has expressed feedback in an emotional outburst, for example, you may want to consider some of the other factors like he/she being under overwhelming pressure from management or poor conditions at home.
- Keep yourself in check: Responding to feedback with a negative response can put your job growth prospects in danger. Be sure to keep yourself in check with your nonverbal responses and with the emotion in your voice.
- Work to alter behavior: the only way that you can use negative feedback is to work at altering your behavior. Use feedback to find workplace goals and then avoid certain behaviors to become a more effective employee.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification: If you are unsure of the specifics of negative feedback be sure to ask a number of clarifying questions on how you can improve or specific actions that you are doing that could be causing inefficiency. A good boss will be able to identify a number of alternatives to your behavior or to your workplace practices.
Use these top tips when receiving feedback from your boss so that you can use it to the fullest extent.
Further reading:
- Feedback To Perform At Your Best by Stacey Hanke Inc.
- How to provide constructive criticism by Elizabeth Harrin
- 7 Questions to ask after feedback by Unstuck
- Book – Thanks for the feedback: the science and art of receiving feedback well
Categories: Leadership
Leadership and Management 
I think biggest trouble with negative feedback / criticism is: it is hurtful.
It is all about respect & boundaries. We need to realize & respect the fact that the critic is expressing his/her own opinion from his/her own perspective. It is his/her prerogative.
On the other hand, we have rights & choices to either internalize it fully or partially or explore facts to identify pieces of information that can be useful to us. It is just one part of tremendous feedback the universe is continuously giving to us, if we open up our mind to it.
Feedback comes to us, we can choose to respond or react. The difference in our approach heavily influences direction of our future.
How we take feedback can very much influence its impact on us & clearly we have choices in that respect. Depending on which choice we make, we can either become better or worse.