Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWho Usually Dishes Out Negative Feedback?Negative Feedback Sounds Like…So You Received Negative Feedback—What Now?How to Turn Negative Feedback Into a Major Win

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Who Usually Dishes Out Negative Feedback?

Negative Feedback Sounds Like…

So You Received Negative Feedback—What Now?

How to Turn Negative Feedback Into a Major Win

Close

In a workplace setting, negative feedback involves disappointment, frustration, or criticism regarding your performance or behavior.

Receiving negative feedback can be upsetting and stressful, since we’re generally invested in our careers and want to make a good impression, saysOctavia Goredema, career coach and author of the audiobook “How to Change Careers.”

However, it’s important to look at negative feedback as an asset that can help you be better, says Goredema.

Research shows that proactively asking for feedback is linked to better job performance and that receiving negative feedback can help people improve their performance, effectiveness, andleadership abilities.

At a GlanceGetting negative feedback never feels good. In fact, it pretty much always sucks. We can be quick to get defensive or we may even feel embarrassed, shut down emotionally, or cry about it (which is totally OK!).Even though it feels bad, regardless of who it’s coming from, constructive feedback is meant to help us grow and improve.So, if you receive some not-so-great feedback, let yourself feel whatever emotions pop up, then start making a self-improvement plan. You got this!

At a Glance

Getting negative feedback never feels good. In fact, it pretty much always sucks. We can be quick to get defensive or we may even feel embarrassed, shut down emotionally, or cry about it (which is totally OK!).Even though it feels bad, regardless of who it’s coming from, constructive feedback is meant to help us grow and improve.So, if you receive some not-so-great feedback, let yourself feel whatever emotions pop up, then start making a self-improvement plan. You got this!

Getting negative feedback never feels good. In fact, it pretty much always sucks. We can be quick to get defensive or we may even feel embarrassed, shut down emotionally, or cry about it (which is totally OK!).

Even though it feels bad, regardless of who it’s coming from, constructive feedback is meant to help us grow and improve.

So, if you receive some not-so-great feedback, let yourself feel whatever emotions pop up, then start making a self-improvement plan. You got this!

These are some common sources of negative feedback:

Negative feedback is sometimes received through professional channels such as performance appraisals. Or, your manager may deliver it to you privately, either in person or over email, says Goredema.

However, she says you may also be on the receiving end of negative feedback in a team meeting or group email, which can be especially mortifying.

These are some examples of negative feedback:

Utilizing Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

Negative feedback can be hard to hear. These are some strategies that can help you receive it and process it:

Remember, however tough it may feel in the moment, feedback is what makes you better.—OCTAVIA GOREDEMA, CAREER COACH

Remember, however tough it may feel in the moment, feedback is what makes you better.

—OCTAVIA GOREDEMA, CAREER COACH

These are some strategies that can help you use negative feedback constructively, leading to positive change:

Octavia Goredema, career coachIt’s almost impossible to consistently do everything right, all the time. Whatever went wrong won’t define you forever if you apply the feedback constructively and use it to your advantage.

Octavia Goredema, career coach

It’s almost impossible to consistently do everything right, all the time. Whatever went wrong won’t define you forever if you apply the feedback constructively and use it to your advantage.

What This Means For You

Then, you can begin to take the necessary steps to become an even better version of yourself.

Unlinking Your Self-Worth From Your Work

3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Su W, Yuan S, Qi Q.Different effects of supervisor positive and negative feedback on subordinate in-role and extra-role performance: the moderating role of regulatory focus.Front Psychol. 2022;12:757687. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.757687Liu Z, Yuan Q, Qian S, Ellenberg M, Kruglanski AW.Why do I seek negative feedback? Assessment orientation, self-criticism, and negative feedback-seeking.Front Psychol. 2021;12:709261. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.709261Harvard Business Review.The right way to respond to negative feedback.

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Su W, Yuan S, Qi Q.Different effects of supervisor positive and negative feedback on subordinate in-role and extra-role performance: the moderating role of regulatory focus.Front Psychol. 2022;12:757687. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.757687Liu Z, Yuan Q, Qian S, Ellenberg M, Kruglanski AW.Why do I seek negative feedback? Assessment orientation, self-criticism, and negative feedback-seeking.Front Psychol. 2021;12:709261. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.709261Harvard Business Review.The right way to respond to negative feedback.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Su W, Yuan S, Qi Q.Different effects of supervisor positive and negative feedback on subordinate in-role and extra-role performance: the moderating role of regulatory focus.Front Psychol. 2022;12:757687. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.757687Liu Z, Yuan Q, Qian S, Ellenberg M, Kruglanski AW.Why do I seek negative feedback? Assessment orientation, self-criticism, and negative feedback-seeking.Front Psychol. 2021;12:709261. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.709261Harvard Business Review.The right way to respond to negative feedback.

Su W, Yuan S, Qi Q.Different effects of supervisor positive and negative feedback on subordinate in-role and extra-role performance: the moderating role of regulatory focus.Front Psychol. 2022;12:757687. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.757687

Liu Z, Yuan Q, Qian S, Ellenberg M, Kruglanski AW.Why do I seek negative feedback? Assessment orientation, self-criticism, and negative feedback-seeking.Front Psychol. 2021;12:709261. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.709261

Harvard Business Review.The right way to respond to negative feedback.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?