Thread by @dremilyanhalt

How to Receive Negative Feedback:

Hearing tough feedback is difficult for everyone, always. No one wants to hear that they’ve messed up or let others down. But the way you respond will inform what people share with you in the future.

Here’s how to take it in thoughtfully:

1️⃣ Practice giving yourself space between hearing the feedback & responding. When we respond right away, it‘s often from a defensive place.

Give yourself 10 minutes before saying anything (you can say, “I’d like a few minutes to think about that, then let’s talk about it”).

2️⃣ Spend that 10 minutes taking stock of what you’re feeling. Do you feel defensive? Misunderstood? Is it something you’re already working on?

Take a few thoughtful breaths to center yourself and to remember that this feedback is about one facet of you, not all of who you are.

3️⃣ Thank the feedback giver for sharing this with you. It’s a gift to be trusted with tough feedback, and it’s very vulnerable to give it.

DO NOT use this time to share any feedback of your own, even if you think they’re guilty of the same behavior.

4️⃣ Get curious. Ask questions to understand where the feedback is coming from, and what effect your choice or behavior has had on others.

You can ask questions like:

❓ Can you tell more about that?
❓ What was that like for you?
❓ What might I do differently next time?

5️⃣ Thank them (again) for trusting you with their feedback (even if you don’t agree with it), and let them know you‘ll think more about it.

Really reflect on what’s been said. To prioritize growth, we have to build a muscle for handling & integrating criticism.

You got this 🙌