CNBC.COM
You're more likely to get ahead in your career if you're good at receiving negative but well-intended feedback, Wharton organizational psychologist Adam Grant wrote in a May 22 post on social media platform X.
"The most underrated career skill is the ability to receive tough love," he wrote. "Acquiring knowledge is easy. Obtaining constructive criticism is hard. If you can't handle the truth, people stop telling you the truth."
"The people who grow the most are the ones who take feedback the best," Grant added.
Absorbing constructive criticism at work is often easier said than done. It's natural to get defensive, Grant said on March 2018 episode of his "WorkLife" podcast. In response, you may list off reasons why you're right, or question the other person's motives.
"Negative feedback sets off alarm bells," said Grant. "It actually touches a nerve in your body. … Your mind races. You start to put up shields and mount a counterattack."
Reacting appropriately — without getting defensive — can help increase your job performance, satisfaction and relationships at work, some experts say.
The process of accepting tough feedback starts the moment you receive it, leadership expert and former Procter & Gamble executive Scott Mautz wrote in an article for CNBC Make It in 2024. Before you respond, start by taking a deep breath. Then reply calmly and professionally, he wrote.
Once you're alone, you can decide how to interpret and integrate the feedback. Here are some steps to take, according to Mautz:
- Decide if the person giving feedback is in a justified position to criticize you. Do you work closely with the person? Is it likely that they understand your work and why you made specific decisions? Do they usually give high-quality notes? Remember that worthwhile advice offers clear suggestions about how you can get better or make progress toward professional goals, like getting a promotion.
- Reframe the criticism. Assume the person has good intentions and remember it's better to be judged than ignored.
- Figure out what could make you stronger. Look back through your work and pretend you're viewing it as someone else. Does the constructive criticism seem fair and helpful? Does it align with feedback you've gotten in the past? This can help you implement the parts that are most useful and make sense.
Shifting how you think about and react to criticism can affect the way you work on a grander level, Grant said on his podcast. Think of yourself as an Olympic athlete who wants to know how to get better, rather than just being told they're good, he added.
"The best way to prove yourself is to show that you're willing to improve yourself," said Grant.
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