What are effective body language techniques to show you're open to negative feedback?

1 Maintain eye contact

Eye contact is one of the most important body language cues to show you're listening and interested in what the other person is saying. When you receive negative feedback, you may be tempted to look away, fidget, or stare blankly, but this can signal that you're defensive, bored, or disrespectful. Instead, try to maintain a steady and natural eye contact with the speaker, nodding occasionally to show you're following along. This will demonstrate that you're attentive, respectful, and confident.

2 Relax your posture

Your posture can also convey a lot about your attitude and emotions. When you receive negative feedback, you may unconsciously tense up, cross your arms, or lean back, but this can indicate that you're resistant, closed-off, or dismissive. Instead, try to relax your shoulders, uncross your arms, and lean slightly forward, but not too much. This will show that you're relaxed, open, and engaged.

3 Use facial expressions

Your facial expressions can also communicate a lot about your reactions and feelings. When you receive negative feedback, you may instinctively frown, grimace, or roll your eyes, but this can imply that you're unhappy, annoyed, or contemptuous. Instead, try to keep a neutral or slightly positive expression, smiling slightly or raising your eyebrows when appropriate. This will show that you're curious, interested, and respectful.

4 Mirror the speaker

Mirroring is a technique of subtly matching the body language, tone, and pace of the speaker. When you receive negative feedback, you may want to mirror some of the speaker's gestures, expressions, and words, but not in a way that seems mocking or imitating. This will show that you're empathetic, attentive, and cooperative.

5 Avoid distractions

Distractions can be anything that takes your attention away from the speaker or the feedback. When you receive negative feedback, you may want to check your phone, look at your notes, or interrupt the speaker, but this can indicate that you're bored, impatient, or rude. Instead, try to eliminate or minimize any distractions, such as turning off your phone, putting away your notes, or waiting for the speaker to finish. This will show that you're focused, patient, and polite.

6 Ask questions

Asking questions is a great way to show that you're open to negative feedback and that you want to learn from it. When you receive negative feedback, you may want to ask questions that clarify, elaborate, or confirm the feedback, but not in a way that seems defensive, argumentative, or dismissive. This will show that you're curious, interested, and willing to improve.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?