How do you deal with negative feedback and setbacks as a leader?
As a leader, you will inevitably face negative feedback and setbacks in your work. How you handle them can make a big difference in your performance, well-being, and relationships. In this article, we will explore some strategies from positive psychology that can help you cope with challenges and grow from them.
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Teresa MacedoPsicóloga | Psicoterapeuta Positiva | Mentora de liderança, RH e Bem-estar para Pessoas e Organizações | Docente…
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PRACHI SINGHALAssociate Consultant: UI/UX @ KPMG India | Design Systems
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Dr Perpetua NeoLinkedIn TopVoice x21 • Keynote Speaker • Simon & Schuster Author • DClinPsy (UCL); MPhil (Cambridge) • The…
Cultivating a growth mindset involves believing that your abilities and talents can be developed through effort, feedback, and learning. This helps you view negative feedback and setbacks as opportunities for improvement, rather than threats to your self-esteem. It also encourages resilience, curiosity, and optimism. To foster a growth mindset, seek constructive feedback and act on it, embrace challenges and learn from mistakes, celebrate your progress and achievements, and appreciate the effort and success of others.
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As a leader, dealing with negative feedback and setbacks can be tough, but adopting a growth mindset helps. This means believing that you can improve your skills through effort and learning. Instead of seeing criticism and failures as threats, view them as chances to grow. Stay resilient, curious, and positive. Seek feedback and use it to get better, tackle challenges head-on, and learn from your mistakes. Celebrate your progress and achievements, and recognize the efforts and successes of others. This way, you'll keep moving forward and inspire those around you.
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O mindset de crescimento nos ajuda a olhar os feedbacks negativos e desafios como oportunidades de crescimento. Fácil não é, mas os feedbacks nos fazem crescer e nos tiram da zona de conforto. Escute os feedbacks de coração aberto e sem reagir a eles. Fique com eles 24 horas, esse é um tempo para a mensagem entrar na sua mente e você a partir daí, poderá avaliar e pensar em formas de crescimento.
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Negative and constructive feedback are integral to leadership. Here's my approach: Growth mindset is key: I view feedback as a development tool and setbacks as learning experiences. Seek the valuable insight: Even poorly delivered feedback can contain constructive points. I focus on finding the actionable areas for improvement. Own your response: It's natural to feel defensive. I take time to process, then craft a solution-oriented response acknowledging the issue. Resilience matters: Google teaches us to learn from failure. I analyze setbacks, adapt, and move forward with determination. Lean on your support system: Mentors and trusted colleagues provide invaluable support and perspective during tough times.
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Create a culture where feedback is continuous and constructive, emphasizing growth over criticism. Encourage leaders to actively seek feedback from peers, subordinates, and mentors, fostering a mindset of continuous improvement.
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I think it is important to remember that constructive feedback is not just negative feedback. We want to hear about what is working - and that we should keep doing - as well as what needs adjustment. Without that balance, feedback is potentially just complaining. It is much easier to keep a growth mindset if we feel that our improvements and good habits will be recognized.
Reframing is the process of changing how you interpret a situation or event, which can help you find meaning, purpose, and positive aspects in negative feedback and setbacks. This can reduce stress, anxiety, and negative emotions. To reframe your perspective, try asking yourself what you can learn from the situation, identifying the benefits or opportunities that may arise from it, recognizing the strengths and resources that you have or can access, and expressing gratitude for what you have or what went well.
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Para ressignificar uma situação se faz necessário perguntar: o que eu posso aprender com isso? Essa pergunta traz um novo olhar, e abre a mente para novos significados. O desafio é ver a siutação da ótica da pessoa, isso amplia a nossa mente e nos leva a identificar novas oportunidades.
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Instead of viewing it as a personal attack, see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Feedback, even when negative, is valuable information that can help you improve. Embrace a growth mindset, believing in your ability to develop and improve over time. This mindset encourages resilience and an openness to learning from every experience.
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When faced with negative feedback or setbacks as a leader, try to change how you view the situation. This is called "reframing." Instead of focusing on the negatives, ask yourself what you can learn from it, and look for any hidden opportunities or benefits. Think about the strengths and resources you have to tackle the issue and be thankful for any positives that came out of it. This way, you can reduce stress and stay motivated. Reframing helps you turn challenges into valuable lessons and keeps your mindset positive.
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Encourage leaders to reflect on their strengths and past successes when faced with challenges. By focusing on what they've achieved and their capabilities, they can approach setbacks with confidence and resilience.
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One thing that often happens when we receive feedback is that we focus on the negative and downplay any positive feedback. It is great to be intentional - take notice of what people feel you are doing well, and if they are not telling you, ask them! This gives a more balanced view of your performance and is an indicator of whether you just need to adjust or whether your role may not be a good fit.
Self-compassion is the attitude of kindness, understanding, and acceptance towards yourself, especially in times of difficulty or failure. This attitude can help reduce self-criticism, shame, and isolation while boosting motivation, confidence, and overall well-being. To practice self-compassion, you can acknowledge and validate your feelings without judgement, remind yourself that you are not alone in your struggles, speak to yourself as you would to a friend or colleague, and engage in activities that nurture and soothe you.
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A autocompaião nos leva aceitação. Aceitação de quem somos, das nossas limitações, dos nossos desafios e das nossas oportundiades de crescimento. A autocompaixão precisa ser trabalhada,d esenvolvida no dia a dia. Perceba como se sente, sem julgamento e retire do seu vocabulário pessoal o "eu tenho que....". Você não tem que nada. Você apenas pode. Pode se aceitas, se acolher e escolher.
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As a leader, dealing with negative feedback and setbacks can be tough. It's important to practice self-compassion, which means being kind and understanding to yourself during these times. Instead of being hard on yourself, recognize your feelings and know it's okay to struggle. Remember, you're not alone—everyone faces challenges. Talk to yourself like you would to a friend, offering support and encouragement. Do things that make you feel better, like hobbies or relaxation activities. This approach can help you stay motivated and confident, improving your overall well-being.
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Combine self-compassion with action. Instead of dwelling on setbacks, prompt them to reflect on what they've learned and how they can apply it moving forward. This proactive approach turns challenges into opportunities for growth.
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Remind yourself that you are not ONLY a leader, a manager, an individual contributor, or whatever you do for work. You are also a _______ (insert whatever part of your identity comes up first - perhaps a parent, a nonprofit board member, or a lifelong student). To be able to practice self-compassion, you must recognize yourself as the combination of many different pieces - which each deserve your attention and recognition.
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Many of us find it hard to have self-compassion. It can seem self-centered or self-serving. It is important to combine self-compassion with growth mindset. The mentality of "I don't have it just right yet. I need more practice/time." leaves more room for growth.
Support and feedback are essential for your growth and development as a leader, providing emotional, informational, and practical assistance. They can help you deal with negative feedback and setbacks, as well as boosting your morale, performance, and relationships. To seek support and feedback, reach out to your peers, mentors, coaches, or other trusted sources. Share your challenges, goals, and achievements with them and ask for their advice, insights, or suggestions. Don't forget to appreciate their support and feedback and reciprocate when possible.
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Handling negative feedback and setbacks is tough, but it's part of growing as a leader. To get through it, lean on the support and advice of others. Talk to your colleagues, mentors, or coaches about what you're facing. They can offer valuable insights, help lift your spirits, and provide practical tips. Share your goals and challenges with them and listen to their suggestions. Remember to thank them for their help and be ready to support them when they need it too. This mutual support will make you a stronger and more resilient leader.
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If the feedback is unclear or feels unfounded, seek out additional opinions. This can provide a more rounded view of the situation and help you understand the feedback in context. It’s natural to have an emotional response to negative feedback. Take time to reflect on these emotions and what they might be telling you about your values, expectations, and areas of sensitivity.
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Another way to get support is to have a coach. Great coaches are in your corner, but are also objective, they provide a reality check, and offer a safe place to explore uncomfortable feelings. Coaching also offers the opportunity to explore and develop strategies for growth and improvement. And great coaches will help you see and hone your strengths as you tackle any changes.
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It is critical to surround yourself with both trusted advisors and people who will challenge your viewpoint. When people have sycophants or yes people confirming what they believe to be right, they don’t get the perspectives needed to make a balanced decision. This feedback can come from managers, coaches, advisors, mentors, and even friends. Just make sure someone dissents every once in awhile to avoid reinforcing your confirmation bias.
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Seeking support and feedback is undoubtedly valuable, yet the true essence lies in the discernment to identify where and from whom to seek such guidance. This discernment, or intelligence, transcends mere intellect; it emanates from a profound state of inner insight known as "satori." To access this deeper understanding, one must venture beyond the realms of philosophy and psychology into the depths of their own being. It's within this inner exploration that individuals gain mastery over their minds, enabling them to navigate their path with clarity and purpose, ultimately leading to elevated states of consciousness.
Taking action and moving forward are the final steps to deal with negative feedback and setbacks as a leader. These steps can help you overcome inertia, procrastination, or avoidance that may result from them. Additionally, taking action and moving forward can increase your sense of control, agency, and satisfaction. To do so, you should set realistic and specific goals based on your feedback and learning, break them down into manageable tasks, prioritize them, monitor your progress, adjust your strategies as needed, celebrate your achievements and reward yourself.
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Dealing with negative feedback and setbacks as a leader involves taking action and moving forward. Start by setting clear, realistic goals based on what you've learned from the feedback. Break these goals into smaller, manageable tasks and prioritize them. Track your progress, and be ready to adjust your approach if needed. Celebrate your successes, no matter how small, and reward yourself to stay motivated. By doing this, you’ll feel more in control and satisfied, helping you overcome any tendency to procrastinate or avoid the challenges.
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1. Adopt a growth mindset that views setbacks and negative feedback as opportunities for learning and development. Rather than dwelling on failures, focus on extracting valuable lessons that can inform your future actions and decisions. 2. Cultivate resilience to navigate adversity and setbacks with composure and determination. 3. Engage in regular self-reflection to evaluate your leadership style, strengths, and areas for development.
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Based on the insights gained from the feedback, develop an action plan to address the areas of improvement. Set specific, achievable goals to guide your progress.Begin to implement the changes outlined in your action plan. This might involve adjusting your behaviour, enhancing your skills, or making changes to your leadership approach.
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Every feedback becomes useful when necessary action is taken after evaluation. You must position yourself to take necessary action for growth
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You must understand that feedbacks are like a mirror that shows you a clear picture of you. See Feedback is an avenue to evaluate yourself See feedback as a chance to grow and be better. Feedback helps you see your mistakes and how you can improve on yourself
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