“Your Feedback is Welcome” or Is It?

Today, we’re getting right to the good stuff. Let’s talk negative feedback. 

In the workplace, there is so much grey area about giving negative feedback. If it’s not hyper-positive, it immediately becomes tricky. It’s human nature to say “this is negative” and “this is positive.” 

When, in reality, feedback is only feedback. It only becomes a criticism when you take it that way. But, that’s not the way everyone sees it. If we don’t face the idea of “negative feedback,” we won’t grow. 

All Feedback is Valuable and Important

Feedback is pivotal for successful teams. 

If you want to grow your career and improve your business, you need someone on your team telling you how it is. What’s wrong, what’s right, what needs improvement — you find out through feedback. We can’t always see our own blind spots, and it’s a gift to have them pointed out by another perspective. 

The way I see it, “feedback” is just another word for a “hint” — helping people see where they can improve and do better.

When we find one of our weak spots, we can focus our energies to make the most impact. We can find real solutions and actually make a difference. 

There’s No Such Thing as Negative Feedback

As I said, I don’t believe in negative feedback. I even think the word should change. 

When someone tells us something and we identify it as “negative,” it’s more about us than about what the person said. It’s how we react to what’s being said. We unload our own s*!# on the situation and then blame the other person. 

You don’t need to accept everything, but when you think it’s negative, you miss the most important things. You are too busy dealing with your own emotions that you don’t pick up on the greatest insights on what you can change to do better. 

Your Ego Makes It Hard to Accept Feedback

As hard as it is to accept feedback sometimes, it really is what makes us grow the most. 

It’s all about how you look at what’s being said to you. We all know how much interpretation can skew the meaning of a message. When you add emotions and a touchy ego into the mix, you’re just blind to your own narrative. 

The ego does not want to change or have any faults. The ego rejects helpful tips since they make it feel attacked. 

So who’s the real enemy here? Your team member, or your ego? 

It’s the ego. If you swallow your pride and at least listen to the feedback that you initially think of as negative, then you’ll open the door to growth. (Click here to continue reading...)