Feedback: Gift or Criticism?
Feedback can be uncomfortable. Even when we ask for it, hearing what someone genuinely thinks about our performance, leadership, or professional development can feel a lot like criticism.
But what if we looked at feedback differently?
What if we saw it as a gift?
In a recent ACS Real Talks, Eric Mercado shares why candid feedback can be one of the most valuable resources available to professionals who are serious about growth.
Real Feedback Starts With Understanding
Meaningful feedback shouldn’t be generic. Before offering advice, it’s important to understand where someone is today, what resources they’ve already had access to, and where they want to go.
That may mean asking questions about education, experience, professional relationships, networking opportunities, their planned career trajectory (if they have a path or individual development plan), and other areas of development. The goal isn’t to point out what someone is doing wrong. It’s to identify what might help them move forward.
Sometimes the next step is additional education. Sometimes it’s strengthening a soft skill. Other times, it may be developing the right professional relationships.
The answer isn’t a cookie cutter approach, but should be expected to be different for everyone.
Skip the Fluff
There’s a difference between feedback that makes us feel good and feedback that actually helps us grow.
At ACS Firm, we believe there’s value in being candid. As Eric puts it, there’s no benefit in giving people “fluff” when they’ve genuinely asked for insight.
That doesn’t mean feedback needs to be harsh. The most valuable feedback comes from a place of wanting to help someone help themselves.
Eric recalls giving candid feedback to a CEO who responded, “I didn’t know I needed to hear this, but now that I hear it, I’m glad I did.”
That’s the power of being open to another perspective.
How Do You Receive Feedback?
Professional growth requires a willingness to hear things we may not immediately recognize about ourselves; some would call that our blindspots. Someone else may see a gap, opportunity, strength, or next step that we simply can’t see from our own perspective.
The question is what we do with that information.
The next time someone offers thoughtful, well-intentioned feedback, consider your “gut” reaction. Are you immediately defending yourself? Are you hearing criticism? Or are you accepting it with an open mind and looking for the insight that could help you become better?
Feedback may not always be what you want to hear—but sometimes it’s exactly what you need to hear.
So, how do you see it: criticism or a gift?
Stay tuned for more ACS Real Talks, and remember to enjoy the journey.
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