For anyone’s personal development, it is essential they be able to perceive and accept feedback from those around them. This does not mean uncritical surrender or yielding whenever someone criticises us; rather, it involves the ability to recognise constructive criticism and take well-intentioned, albeit negative, feedback to heart, work with it, and use it for further growth. Here are five tips to help you become more open to feedback and use it effectively for personal development.
Actively seek feedback
As Forbes states, if you passively wait for feedback, you will most likely receive only the negative kind, and only from the loudest voices, who may even not always be right. It is better to ask for feedback. As a manager, you can regularly request feedback from subordinates, superiors and colleagues.
Try to obtain both negative and positive feedback
When asking others for feedback, encourage them to share not only what you could improve, but also what you are doing well. This way, you will know where to improve and which strengths are worth further developing.
Look for intersections between what others say and what you might already know about yourself
How can you tell which criticism is constructive? One key is identifying overlaps between external feedback and what you may subconsciously suspect about yourself. If you inwardly believe you are not very organised and several people confirm this, it is a clear sign that you should address the issue.
Focus on feedback points which different people repeat
Another way to identify truly relevant feedback is to notice which points (both positive and negative) keep recurring. If four different people praise you for the same thing, there is probably something genuine behind it. Especially valuable patterns are those identified by people who don't know one another and come from different backgrounds.
Don't take negative criticism too dramatically
Being told you are doing something wrong is no tragedy. You may receive a great deal of negative feedback, especially if you ask for it, yet still be doing a great job overall. Regard criticism as an opportunity and keep working on your development.
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