Katie Roberts Career Consulting

There aren’t many people who are lucky enough to have been untouched by negative feedback or criticism in their career. Most people, even senior leaders and managers (often even more so), will have to deal with some kind of negative feedback in the workplace. The key to coping is to use it as a positive career boost.

We’ve identified several ways to use that criticism to help progress your career:

1. Don’t take it personally: Instead of viewing the feedback as your boss or client reprimanding you, take it for what it is. Receiving criticism about your work is never easy, but it will be easier to handle if you digest it in a disconnected way. Of course it’s perfectly natural to feel upset or unduly attacked in the first instance, but try to put those emotions to one side and not react defensively. Don’t dwell on the negative or beat yourself up about what happened. Instead take some time to think about the issue with a clear head and use the feedback to come up with ways you might be able to do things differently in the future. If you need to, ask for some time to process the information, and come back at a later date to discuss it.
2. Ask questions: In order to show professionalism and maturity, ask questions about the feedback – display a genuine interest in getting to the bottom of the problem. Remain calm and listen to what the person providing the feedback is saying so you can ensure it doesn’t happen again.
3. Own it: It’s important to own up to any honest oversight or mistake you’ve made. But owning up or apologising isn’t enough – you need to follow the apology with a solution. Once you’ve received the feedback and analysed the issue from different directions – make an effort to come up with a solution to address the issue in a way that helps you move forward. Ideally you want a concrete plan that shows you’ve thought everything out to ensure no repeat episode in the future.
4. Recognise the need for improvement: Often, negative feedback is tough to take because in your heart you know it’s true. Recognise where you need to make improvements and show you can take negative feedback well by thanking the person for their insights. Acknowledging your mistakes and challenging yourself to prevent it from happening again is the best way forward. Identify weaknesses that might have contributed such as time mangement, communication, computer skills, relationship management etc. and take steps to address those shortcomings.
5. Move on: Once you’ve made a concerted effort to fix the issue or put strategies for improvement into place, it’s time put the negative feedback in the past, learn your lesson, and move on. Remaining resentful or angry about the situation will prevent you from growing professionally.

No one is immune from workplace criticism – even the most senior business person will probably have to deal with criticism from clients or staff at some stage in their career. We advise you to take the feedback seriously but not personally. Try not to wallow in the negativity; understand what’s led to the negative feedback; and take steps to move towards a concrete plan that will help you address the feedback and progress your career.

Are you interested in obtaining some career advice? If so our career advisors and resume writers are experts in their field and provide comprehensive Career Counselling and Resume Writing services.