Handling Negative Feedback

Stress Management

Most employees show up for a new job with high motivation and are usually excited and want to do a good job. But as the weeks pass, the motivation and interest gradually evaporate. This is because of the way they get feedback from their superiors. In most cases, inappropriate feedback is the common reason that causes deep agitation to practically every employee, no matter how qualified or competent. Often managers tell their team members, ‘Here, I am giving you formal feedback, and here is a list of 101 things you did wrong in this project, and it is all your fault.’ Such caustic remarks can often destroy people and make them enter a state of depression and self-pity.

Secondly, one should understand that no matter how well you do a task, someone is bound to criticize you or pass comments and feedback. In most cases, the comments and feedback will not be constructive and will be discouraging. The feedback can come formally as part of a performance review or informally as part of the conversation with customers, colleagues, or even strangers. However, as a resilient person, one must know how to handle negative feedback, whether fair or unfair, without blowing your top. To handle negative feedback one should first understand the kinds of feedback that one can get for what they do or don’t do. Let us take some examples.