Here's how you can maintain serenity and composure while receiving negative feedback: mindfulness.

A client was mad at me indicating an issue was not resolved. My team member was trying to justify there is no issue with the other companies we are servicing. I kept listening to him patiently without interrupting. I apologized to him and told him that my team member was wrong. I also made a concession stating we will do extra work for him. When I called him after a week, it really worked wonders. He apologized to me and indicated that all is well. When we get caught up in negative thoughts, the amygdala gets fired. This is responsible for biases & distortions, and we tend to think negatively about the negative feedback instead of maintaining composure. Mindfulness gives you a one second gap between your impulses and your responses.

Maintaining serenity and composure when receiving negative feedback hinges on mindfulness and daily practice. While taking a moment to pause and breathe deeply can activate your body's relaxation response, making it easier to handle criticism constructively, this technique is most effective when integrated into a daily routine. Regular mindfulness practices build resilience and train your body to respond calmly in high-stress situations. Without consistent practice, the benefits of these techniques may diminish when you need them most.

It's always good to take a pause before responding to any negative feedback. Take a slow breath or even three. The breath can help to relax the body and also brings your attention to the present, rather than letting your mind start to spiral in defense mode. It could even be beneficial to receive the feedback, and take several hours or days to digest it before you are able to have a constructive conversation.

Understanding our feelings is crucial when dealing with tough feedback. Mindfulness helps us acknowledge and accept our emotions without letting them control us. Regular practices like meditation, especially meditating on negative emotions, strengthen our resilience. This self-awareness allows us to respond with calm and balance rather than impulsively. Practicing mindfulness regularly is essential for fully benefiting from these techniques when we need them most.

Embracing mindfulness is key to maintaining composure during negative feedback. Listen actively, without judgment, to understand the perspective being offered. This approach fosters growth and resilience, turning feedback into a stepping stone for personal and professional development.

Active listening is vital for effectively handling negative feedback. Improve this skill by fully focusing on the speaker's words, tone, and body language, and resist the temptation to interrupt. Use reflective listening techniques, such as paraphrasing and asking clarifying questions, to confirm understanding and show respect. Also, manage non-verbal cues by maintaining eye contact and using suitable facial expressions and nods to demonstrate engagement. We should train this skills daily to truly master them.

This, to me, is a really important part where I always try to step out of my emotions and parts of me that might be triggered by the feedback. Looking at things objectively and "from a distance" in most cases I find there is a lot of value in what people tell me about my behaviour or how I handled a certain situation. It presents me with a mirror and makes me aware of things that I might want to change and presents me with an opportunity for growth. I also always acknowledge that giving respectful and honest feedback takes some form of bravery by the person who gives it, since a lot of people take it and respond to it in not the best manner.

Focus on objective reflection after receiving feedback. Mindfulness promotes non-judgment, allowing you to examine criticism without emotional attachment. You can learn from comments without feeling insulted by seeing it objectively. This thoughtful technique helps you find areas for growth objectively by identifying helpful feedback. Separating your self-worth from criticism lets you focus on actionable feedback and create a personal and professional improvement strategy. This strategy improves feedback acceptance and implementation and builds resilience.

Personally, with things that are really confronting, I usually need to take a bit of time, step out of the situation, and tell the person who provided me with the feedback that I will get back to them at some later time. It sometimes is challenging to keep my mindful composure, and then I find it best not to immediately respond since that usually doesn't lead to the best results. I always rather opt for taking time to think things through, than speaking words in the heat of the moment that I might regret and have to apologise for later on.

Listening is an art we should cultivate with awareness. Mindfulness practices have allowed me to become a better listener, ensuring that conversations are driven by objectives rather than emotions, especially in a business setting. By being fully present and attentive, I can understand the speaker's perspective without letting my immediate reactions cloud my judgment. This approach fosters clearer communication and more productive discussions, as it enables me to respond thoughtfully and constructively. In the fast-paced world of business, where emotions can often run high, practicing mindful listening helps maintain focus on our goals and facilitates more effective problem-solving and collaboration.

Practing mindfulness regularly can help you to maintain a steady composure no matter what comes your way. It becomes easier to identify emotions and stress, and you can respond more quickly on the best way to handle them (feel it and/or release it). I also find it helpful to try different forms of mindfulness to see what resonates the most, thus making it easier to commit to every day.