What do you do if your feedback is met with defensiveness instead of openness?

Remain calm and empathetic.Clarify intentions: Reiterate that the feedback is meant to be constructive.Encourage listening: Validate their perspective and encourage them to express their thoughts.Focus on facts: Stick to specific examples to keep the conversation objective.Offer solutions: Suggest potential ways to address the feedback constructively.Take a break if needed: If emotions are high, suggest taking a break and revisiting the conversation later.Follow up: Check in later to see if they've had time to reflect on the feedback and are more open to discussing it further.

Choose the Right Time and Place: Provide feedback in a private and comfortable setting where both parties can speak openly and without distractions. Choose a time when the individual is likely to be receptive and not already feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Be Specific and Objective: Offer feedback that is specific, objective, and focused on observable behaviors or outcomes rather than personal attributes or character traits. Provide concrete examples to illustrate your points and avoid making generalizations or assumptions. Use "I" Statements: Frame your feedback using "I" statements to express your perspective and observations without sounding accusatory or judgmental.

It is important to approach the situation with empathy and understanding. Acknowledge the individual's reaction and try to validate their feelings before addressing the feedback itself. Encourage open communication by creating a safe and non-judgmental environment where they feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and concerns.

Be Calm , open to Dialogue, always try to Explain the thoughts and reason . Respect the opinion of others . And try to use possible change of words which can convey the exact thought . Because the Use of words Matters a lot in communication .

This is as important in any constuctive debate that what could be the intent of feedback i.e. provided in reaponse to your argument and based on this one should first make clear analyse the intent in order to rationalise the judgement.

Mastering your response in every situation is the key to success. This can be achieved by practicing mindfulness, self compassion, meditation. This will develop resilience and inner peace and develop capabilities to handle challenges

Focus on constructive dialogue and emphasize the importance of growth and improvement rather than criticism. It may also be helpful to offer specific examples and suggestions for improvement to guide the conversation in a positive direction.

I believe the Bible said something in the lines of ”don’t bother correcting mockers, they will only hate you, but correct the wise, and they will love you.“ In most cases where I find the person in front of me becoming defensive, I stop dealing with them, or just stop giving them feedback. The point of giving feedback is for the person to learn, but if they don’t want to learn then what’s the point of giving feedback?!

Navigate the situation effectively... ??Did I maintain the balance between praising and critisism? ??Was my feedback constructive? ??Have I expressed my intend clearly? ??My mindset must genuinely focus towards helping the person. ??Be open to conversation and most importantly give a listening ear. ??Ask questions to clarify where the feedback was misunderstood. "What do you think about this?" ?? Encourage a private conversation to understand the feedback barriers directly. ??Share your personal story, where feedback helped you overcome similar challenges. ?? Remember, we are humans, who learn by doing, defensiveness is a natural process, handle it with grace.