How do you handle negative feedback or criticism on your personal brand or pre-sales activities?

I'd agree in principle with the idea of thanking the feedback giver, bearing in mind that this doesn't necessarily mean accepting it per se, and at the same time I'd try to establish his/hers intention first. In fact, as a previous contributor highlighted, understanding the situation here is paramount to assess what the person providing feedback is aiming for. Once the intention of the feedback is clarified, then we're in a better position to genuinely acknowledge the perspective provided and try to establish common ground, on which to build the rest of the conversation. In any case though, I believe that whatever is the other person trying to get to, holding our composure always pays off, be the intentions negative or constructive.

Feedback is always a gift, it should be given and received in that way. If someone has taken time out of their day to give you feedback, you should value that. Feedback can’t always be positive, some of the best progress I’ve made is from negative feedback. It’s important to distinguish between healthy negative feedback, and people providing unhealthy criticism. Your choice is to action the feedback or not…. Only you can decide that.

I absolutely agree that it’s important to acknowledge negative feedback/criticism promptly. However just like a previous comment highlights, thanking the sender before investigating and evaluating the feedback isn’t necessary - unless you can make an immediate determination that the feedback is valid and the criticism justified. If not, a prompt acknowledgment and commitment to respond is still courteous and professional. Whilst in most instances feedback/criticism can be a catalyst for improvement and development there are occasions when the senders intentions are disingenuous or they’re simply a serial complainer who likes the sound of their own voice - and thanking them might actually encourage them to continue acting in this manner!

What the article seriously is missing is the situation. Is this feedback working with 'customers in general', 'a particular customer', a 'key deal' OR a 'team exercise'? Team exercises in Pre-Sales are supposed to improve you, and generally crafted to put one through more pitfalls than would be encountered in a customer situation, the goal is to improve. For customer facing situations, I agree with the comments below on 'not jumping in with acknowledgements without validating', you don't want to lose your credibility.

This is exactly what should be done following point 1. I've personally been in situations where (when I have been on site with a client), I have pulled the person giving negative feedback aside at the end of the meeting and engaged with them on a 1-2-1 basis. 1. It helps to restrict any negative feedback hijacking the engagement. 2. Giving your 1-2-1 time with them helps build trust. 3. Allows you to get into the detail of the disagreement and create opportunities to follow up with a plan of action.

Next, clarify and understand the feedback or criticism by asking questions to grasp its message and intention fully. Seek specifics regarding the aspect in question, evidence, expected outcomes, and any proposed solutions. This approach demonstrates curiosity, engagement, and a commitment to improvement, while also preventing misunderstandings and conflicts stemming from assumptions or premature conclusions.

When handling negative feedback on your personal brand or pre-sales activities, it's vital to clarify and understand the criticism Ask questions to identify the specific areas of concern. Seek details on what exactly is being criticized and the evidence supporting it. Understand the desired outcomes the feedback provider expects. Show engagement and openness to improvement. Avoid assumptions to prevent misunderstandings. Address issues effectively by clarifying the feedback's intent. Strengthen relationships by constructively handling criticism.

I like this section. I also would add, it is in many of our instincts to try to fix the problem quickly, and in doing so we might come across as uncaring or unengaged. I'd stress the importance in trying to deliberately slow the pace of the interactions, make sure all concerns and mistakes are captured (or perceptions thereof) and set a time frame to come back to the conversation with whatever information needed to triage, remediate, inform, or level set expectations. These conversations should never be adversarial.

I would acknowledge and thank them for the feedback. From a clarify and understand perspective I can say that my company is the number 1 vendor in its space. This means we have many large customers that have requirements that small customers may not need yet. I would try to point to why larger customers need such functionality and it's there if you ever need it. In the case that a smaller vendor has some functionality that we don't have, I would accept that, see if it's on the roadmap and if not offer to open a ticket for them so that we can get it added. Customers, even potential customers, drive our roadmap and we are always looking to drive new functionality.

When I receive negative feedback or criticism on my personal brand or presales activities, I view it as an opportunity to learn and improve. I remain open-minded, carefully listening to the concerns raised, and I avoid reacting defensively. After understanding the feedback, I reflect on whether changes are needed and take constructive action where necessary. By adapting and improving, I not only strengthen my personal brand but also enhance my effectiveness in presales, ultimately delivering better results.

The difficult part is not letting the initial emotion interfere with the listening process. You need to truly try to understand the feedback before trying to process and respond. Humility is key. Often there is a nugget of really painful truth embedded. Confidence enables you to understand that truth and be capable of responding and changing or having the courage to respond and dig deeper for more details.

When facing negative feedback or criticism on personal branding or pre-sales activities, the key is to evaluate the comments objectively. Seek constructive elements within the criticism, acknowledging valid points. Respond thoughtfully, addressing concerns while highlighting improvements or clarifications. Use negative feedback as an opportunity for growth, demonstrating adaptability and a commitment to customer satisfaction. Maintaining a positive and receptive attitude not only addresses specific issues but also enhances your personal brand by showcasing resilience and a dedication to continuous improvement.

I remember a time when I received feedback that seemed harsh at first, but upon objective evaluation, I found some valuable insights within it. I took the constructive parts to heart and made necessary changes. The ability to separate constructive feedback from the noise is a skill we all should hone.

Show the customer you're taking their feedback seriously. This could involve revising materials, adjusting the sales approach, or following up with additional information.

This is the key component for me - learn from it. We all make mistakes, not making mistakes means we are not pushing ourselves. We can all improve and change for the better - so be open to feedback - negative is often more powerful than positive - it helps you grow.

Effectively managing negative feedback or criticism on your personal brand or pre-sales activities involves implementing a structured approach and timely follow-up. Acknowledge the concerns with professionalism, express a genuine understanding of the feedback, and outline steps taken or planned for improvement. Demonstrate responsiveness and a commitment to addressing issues promptly. This not only showcases your dedication to customer satisfaction but also contributes to building a positive perception of your personal brand and pre-sales efforts.

After accepting or modifying feedback, take action and implement changes in your personal brand or pre-sales activities. Communicate results to the individual who provided feedback, seeking their confirmation or further input. This demonstrates commitment, accountability, and growth, while avoiding complacency or inconsistency that may impact your performance or reputation.

I personally believe feedbacks are a medium of getting a pulse of how other perceive you or your work. It may not always be on positive side as everyone have their own way of giving feedbacks. I would always pick up constructive items even from a negative feedback even though, not everything in it might be true. This happens through out the human lifecycle. We tend to understand the feedbacks in various parts of life. Something is better than nothing. So always welcome feedbacks even its not up to your expectation or even if it contains flaws.

Following feedback, reflect on the experience to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Learn from the process and share insights with peers to foster collaboration and growth. This demonstrates humility, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous improvement, avoiding isolation or stagnation that may hinder progress.

A way I like to celebrate, is to go back to the person who gave the feedback and ask them if they had observed a positive improvement in the specific area they provided. This has two positive outcomes, you get positive reinforcement from the person that you are improving, and you will feel good about, and second, the person who gives feedback will feel themselves valued, and feel that they can build a trusted relationship. The reward comes from that strength of relationship moving forward.

After managing negative feedback, take time to celebrate and reward yourself for your efforts and achievements. Recognize successes and milestones, indulging in activities that bring happiness and motivation. Maintain a positive outlook and focus on your goals, showing gratitude, resilience, and enthusiasm. This self-care approach prevents discouragement and burnout, promoting overall well-being and satisfaction.

I would like to agree with all steps mentioned. While this is a general layout, one has the liberty to adopt and adapt in manners which suit personal preferences and situations. In doing so, I often find myself falling back to 3 crucial plumb-lines: 1. We Make Mistakes 2. Be Surprisingly Open 3. Practice Radical Candor To dive in deeper; We are human and subject to making mistakes, and whilst so, we are also capable of learning from them and fixing processes to rectify future understandings. The gist of this is humility. Accepting that we are flawed beings and continuously working towards betterment is essential for growth. Hence these plumb-lines

I was part of a successful extended sales team at a large company and twice interviewed to be a primary sales team member. After the second rejection, a mentor suggested I meet individually with each member of the last interview team and ask for their candid feedback about my interview and their perspective on what I need to do better the next time. It was a humbling experience; however, their feedback gave me a new self-awareness. I aced the next set of interviews and have never forgotten the lesson of seeking feedback from setbacks.

If someone has a criticism of your personal brand….. great news! That’s fantastic because you have a brand to criticise. The fact that you have a brand puts you ahead of 90% of people so see it as a huge win.

It's crucial to go beyond the basic steps in handling negative feedback and consider additional strategies tailored to your profession. One real-life experience that resonates with my journey in this role is the transformation of my approach after a client provided challenging feedback. Instead of feeling defensive, I embraced the opportunity to improve our pre-sales activities. This shift not only repaired the client relationship but also elevated our team's performance. Also, peer support has also been invaluable – sharing experiences with trusted colleagues has led to novel solutions and strengthened my personal brand.