How you think about receiving feedback supports your feedback-receiving behaviour and holds it in place. If you believe that receiving feedback is dangerous, a threat or something to avoid, that thinking will result in you trying to avoid feedback—and you certainly will not be seeking it out.
Let’s carry out a quality check on the usefulness of your beliefs about receiving feedback. Listed below are some of the common beliefs expressed.
Feedback makes me feel awful about myself.
Feedback means I’m not good enough.
Feedback means I’ve done something wrong.
Feedback means I’m in trouble.
People use feedback as a way of belittling me.
I take feedback personally.
Feedback helps me learn and grow in my role.
I can choose how I respond when someone offers me feedback.
While I’m open to considering feedback, I’m also open to rejecting some, all or none of it.
Feedback is data and information. It is insight.
Someone has just offered me an opinion from their understanding.
I am a work in progress.