Receiving negative feedback at work can be a tough egg to swallow, but it can be easier to digest if we know how to approach it. Growing the ability to respond gracefully to negative feedback pushes us to continue growing in our role and helps us to build better relationships with coworkers. When we’re confronted with negative feedback we often shift into a flight-or-fight mode, but there’s a third option as well: pause. There’s no shame in not knowing the answer to a question or needing time to process feedback. Taking the time to cool off and provide a thoughtful response allows us to truly hear the feedback and demonstrates to our managers and team members that we take their feedback seriously. Here are a few lines that can be helpful when you feel you’re up against the wall:
“Let me get back to you with an answer after I’ve thought further about the issue.”
“Thanks for your message! Give me 24 hours to provide you with a full response.”
“I had a different viewpoint, but let me look into yours.”
