Here's how you can navigate criticism or feedback from your boss in brand strategy.

Totally agree.. best feedback is negative feedback, in any aspect of life. What you do well, you already do well. Ask for the areas to improve; this is the where the difference lies. Plus, it will be a welcome challenge to learn, to help yourself and ultimately to help others.

Does the feedback have you feeling like a punching bag? Make sure you separate feedback on the work from a personal attack. Perhaps the 'constructive criticism' is just micromanagement in a fancy suit. But what if it isn't? It might be time to trust your instincts. Remember, you're the one in the trenches, analyzing trends and consumer behavior. Don't let constant criticism paralyze your creativity or progess. Please make sure to document your successes, back your strategies with solid data, and be ready to defend your vision with persuasive arguments.

Receiving harsh feedback does sting. It's hard to embrace it when it feels personal. Prepare your growth mindset by asking yourself, "What can I learn from this?" Sometimes you learn more from the poor leaders as you note to yourself that you never want to manage like them. Look for useful nuggets in the feedback to advance your brand strategy. And thank your boss for giving you feedback, even if it stings a little.

These are broad terms, right? Criticism can be constructive, making it positive. Feedback is a collection of insights, yet in some circles, a negative connotation is attached to the word. So in the spirit of honesty and positivity, I suggest giving and receiving feedback with a success mindset as the undertone. The point of reflection and feedback is improvement and interaction, which should help serve as a reliable blueprint for plans and strategies moving forward. Honesty fosters authenticity and reliability.

Create a detailed action plan from the feedback. Prioritize key tasks and set clear, measurable goals to track your progress and address critiques effectively.

Once you've obtained feedback, document the key points, next steps to incorporate, and timing. Clear communication will show that you are a mature, thoughtful brand manager. Share status during meetings to keep progress at the forefront for your boss and colleagues.

I love the agile process with retrospectives because the process includes feedback as a normal course of action. The more it becomes normal, the less scary or negative it is. If your company doesn't follow agile, check out retrospectives and include them in your project planning. It's an important way to grow and continuously learn and improve.

I mentioned a positive undertone with a success mindset in the section above. That does not always mean the person giving or receiving the feedback is doing it in a positive way. Be open-minded when having feedback conversations and take each one as an opportunity to learn.

Jeanel, I was just having a dialogue about this very topic. Thank you so much for offering some available insights. We really appreciate you.

You are not your work or craft. Remove yourself from the project and embrace criticism as a form of improvement. Dive deeper into this feedback and follow up with questions to get to the root of it. Ensure you apply your strategic facilitation skills when onboarding feedback as well.

Smart branding executives recognize that younger generations as inherently more innovative and culturally attuned than they are. For a brand leader with confidence, these employees are invaluable assets and endless sources of inspiration, but for a boss losing his/her fastball, talented employees can pose an existential threat, which is often met with unwarranted criticism meant to reaffirm hierarchy and mask reality. At the same time, young people can have too much faith in their own ideas, and mistake opinion for expertise. Self reflection is hard work, but if your boss is bearish on you, be mature enough to understand why, and act accordingly. We see so much more than our egos let us believe. Take a hard look.

Navigating feedback from your boss on brand strategy? Embrace it as a growth opportunity! Start by welcoming their input: "Thanks for the feedback—it's a great chance to improve!" Separate the critique from yourself; it's about the work, not you. Ask for more input: "Could you share specific ways to enhance this?" This fosters collaboration and shows you're invested. Honesty is key, so acknowledge their points sincerely: "I appreciate the insight; here's my plan to incorporate it." This shows you’re taking it on board without taking it personally. Reflect and refine—you're on the path to authenticity and reliability!