Leadership Tip

How to stay cool during feedback

No one enjoys hearing that they’re not meeting expectations, but constructive feedback is a valuable tool for growth. The next time you get feedback, keep your composure and focus on these three key strategies to make the most of it:

  1. Stay calm. It’s normal to feel nervous during a feedback session, especially when the other person holds the reins. Acknowledge this dynamic and be gentle with yourself.
     
  2. Be ready for surprises. Feedback often brings unexpected insights. You might hear about something you didn’t realize was an issue or discover that a past concern hasn’t been fully resolved.
     
  3. Avoid being defensive. Resist the urge to react or justify yourself immediately. Instead, ask clarifying questions to better understand the feedback. Once you've had time to reflect, you can always follow up if needed.

The above leadership tip...
was sent in response to a question from a participant on our acclaimed 10/10 leadership development and mentoring programme. Whether you're a first time manager or an experienced leader, straightforward, practical advice on best practice is hard to find. Until now. To find out how you, your team or your organisation can benefit, please contact us.


Looking for a speaker for your next event?
William Montgomery, our Founder and CEO, is available as a keynote speaker and event host. His experience as a speaker encompasses a wide number of audiences on a diverse array of subjects. He is also a volunteer for Speakers for Schools and Inspiring the Future.

Unlock your potential

Whether face to face, or over the telephone, we can develop your leadership skills, support you in making important decisions, and help you reach your potential.

Read More

Leadership Articles

10 questions leaders should never ask

Leadership is often portrayed as having the right answers. In reality, great leadership is more about asking the right questions. Questions can open minds, build trust and encourage innovation. Equally, they can shut down discussion, create... read more

10 ways to build your team

Everyone would like to be part of a dream team - a group of people, each skilled in their own discipline, pulling together to achieve more than they ever could alone. Yet while most organisations talk about teamwork, they still tend to reward individual... read more

10 weekend habits of purposeful leaders

The most impactful leaders know that success doesn’t come from working around the clock - it comes from working with intention. And that includes how we spend our weekends. While weekdays often revolve around performance, the weekend is a chance to reset... read more

Leadership Tips

HOW TO FUTURE-PROOF YOUR TEAM

A five-year study by the National Foundation for Educational Research identified six transferable skills employers are likely to value increasingly: communication, collaboration, information literacy, organising and prioritising, problem solving and... read more

HOW TO RISE ABOVE ABUSE

I endured serious abuse from my father as a child. That sentence is difficult to write, but it perhaps explains why people sometimes ask how I rise above abuse today. The answer is not that it doesn’t hurt. It is that I refuse to let another person’s... read more

HOW TO LEAD WHEN YOU KNOW DIDDLY SQUAT

I may be five years late to Clarkson’s Farm, which is especially remiss given that Diddly Squat is almost on my Cotswold doorstep. Having now completed Series One, I understand why it has attracted such affection. When the farmer who had worked the land... read more