We all feel we are doing everything right all the time and hence critical feedback can be sometimes unnerving to hear! Don't lose your confidence! Feedback, especially critical one, should be looked at as a 'gift' you receive only from those who care about you and your growth and improvement. Your manager is trying to make you the best version of yourself and that requires challenging you and making you aware of any blind spots. The ultimate goal is to come good in the eyes of the world at large! It is important to understand the feedback clearly, internalize and translate it in your own way and make it actionable for yourself. Also good to have a feedback loop for validating that things are improving once you start to take action.

Start by thanking your boss for the feedback (even if you disagree or feel hurt). Then, take time to sleep on it and schedule a meeting with your boss after you've taken time to digest the feedback. Share the part of feedback you found particularly useful as well as the part that was hard to swallow (maybe the two were even the same). Then I'd recommend sharing a couple of things you intend on doing to change AND asking for boss's help and support in making that happen. Set the timeline for your next review. Such a process guarantees your personal growth, because you're taking responsibility for your own development and engage key stakeholders in making that happen.

Turning feedback into growth isn’t easy, but it’s essential. I’ve learned that the feedback I need most is often the hardest to hear. It took time, but I embraced these moments as opportunities for change. Feedback shouldn’t be a one-time event. If you’re committed to growth, you need to seek it out and translate it into action. Journaling has been key for me, helping me process and act on feedback that hits hardest. A few years ago, I received feedback that revealed a significant skill gap. Initially it made me want to quit my job. Instead of choosing flight, that moment (after refection) led me to law school, driven by a commitment to grow and improve. Embrace tough feedback, reflect, and act. #GrowthMindset #ContinuousImprovement