Giving Effective Feedback

Receiving Feedback Graciously Accepting criticism from others can be genuinely difficult. We often hear it as a personal attack — especially when it touches on behavior we're already not proud of. One of the most powerful mindset shifts you can make is to reframe criticism as **feedback with positive intent**: information offered to help you improve, not to diminish you. Here are practical strategies for receiving feedback well: **Listen attentively.** Give the person your full attention. Resist the urge to formulate your defense while they are still speaking. **Make sure you understand.** Paraphrase what you've heard to confirm that you've understood correctly. This also shows the other person that you are genuinely engaged. **Ask for details.** The more specific your understanding of the issue, the better equipped you are to address it. Ask open-ended questions to gather as much information as you can. **Find something to agree with.** You don't have to agree with everything — but look for at least one element you can acknowledge. Recognizing the person's right to offer feedback, and affirming the importance of their concern, goes a long way. If you can't agree with any part of the criticism, you risk being perceived as dismissing the person entirely. **Try not to take it personally.** A skilled feedback-giver will speak to your behaviors, not your character.