Whether you’re a manager, an executive, or any rung of the professional ladder, it’s always jarring to get criticism, and the emotions to push back against it can be strong.
But the truth is that feedback can be a powerful tool for personal and professional growth. How you receive and react to criticism can also make or break your career.
Here are five ways to turn these unpleasant moments to your career advantage.
1. Consider feedback a growth opportunity
It’s easy to feel hurt when you hear something negative about your work. But try to look at it differently. That critique is just a spotlight on areas where you can do better. It’s like someone giving you a roadmap to become the best version of yourself. They’re showing you where you can grow and excel, and it’s an amazing opportunity for personal and professional growth.
2. Avoid being defensive
We tend to get defensive when we hear something negative about ourselves. It is human nature. We’ve all been there. But it’s also the quickest way to block your growth.
3. Get clarification and follow-up
Make sure you really understand the feedback. If anything’s unclear, don’t be shy to ask for clarification. The first step in making the most of feedback is truly listening to what it says.
4. Reflect, reflect, reflect
Often, the criticism can push us into some self-reflection. It makes us think about what we did right and what we did wrong. It’s a spark that gets us exploring and reflecting on how we can be better.
One crucial thing, though, is to be constructive with yourself. So don’t dwell too much on the negatives; look at what the feedback teaches you and how you can improve.
5. Plan to move forward
Once you’ve taken the feedback on board, the key point is to then switch quickly towards making a clear plan. Push the feedback to the back of your mind and put all your focus forward.
This plan should be positive yet simple, with strengths as well as development areas and some clear actions you can easily execute on a daily or monthly basis.
Then, of course, you need to be disciplined with yourself to stick with the plan genuinely!
This article is contributed by Michael Page.
