9 Ways To Get Over Your Feedback Fears

The only thing worse than hearing negative feedback is what happens if you don’t hear it.

Why is feedback so powerful and essential to our success? We often fail to see in ourselves what is perfectly obvious to others. The following is a set of 9 steps that any individual can take to learn how to accept and effectively implement feedback.

Realize that feedback is a gift

Most people dread receiving feedback because they fear it will all be negative. However, these gifts give an individual guidance and direction by telling what they can do to improve and how they should do it.

If you have a negative attitude, you will miss opportunities to learn from people trying to help you. If you accept feedback as a gift, you can better incorporate what your colleagues are saying.

Recognize that feedback doesn’t hurt (too much)

Well, perhaps it will make you wince for a moment or two. But recognize that feedback “tweaks” all people equally, and generally hurts only those who are unwilling to hear it. Feedback is information, and you are always free to do with it as you please. You can accept it, consider it, ignore it, or simply put it aside. Remember, the only thing worse than hearing negative feedback is the negative consequences of not hearing it.

Be aware that everyone else knows

Oftentimes, people think that when they receive feedback that these things suddenly become more apparent to others. The reality is everybody already knows it, and typically you are the only one not clued in.

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