Here's how you can navigate feedback challenging your current mindset or work approach.

To navigate feedback challenging your current mindset or work approach, embrace openness by actively listening without defensiveness. Approach the feedback with a growth mindset, seeing it as an opportunity for learning and improvement rather than criticism. Ask clarifying questions to understand perspectives fully and reflect objectively on how adjustments can refine your approach. Seek guidance from mentors or colleagues to gain insights and support implementation. Commit to ongoing development and adapt based on new insights to foster continuous improvement.

Approaching feedback with a growth mindset allows it to be perceived as a learning opportunity rather than a criticism. Rather than becoming resentful it is best to be grateful that someone cared enough to provide feedback to help you learn and improve rather than ignore you. Moreover, your openness to feedback reduces the chance that person will complain about you to someone else.

During my early years as a project manager, I received feedback from a team member that my approach was too rigid and stifled creativity. Initially, I felt defensive, but I decided to embrace the feedback with an open mind. I asked the team member to elaborate and sought to understand their perspective fully. This openness allowed me to see that my structured methods, though well-intentioned, were indeed limiting the team's innovative potential. By adjusting my approach to incorporate more flexibility and encouraging creative input, we were able to enhance our project's outcomes and team dynamics. This experience underscored the importance of embracing feedback as an opportunity for growth.

We all can tend to think that our mindset is the right one. It's difficult to be objective at times. Remember that there's always another possibility. Another point of view. Another perspective.

Reflecting deeply and positively on challenging feedback can transform it into a catalyst for personal and professional development. For example, if a client criticized me as his/her coach or mentor for being too detail-oriented, instead of taking offense, I could reflect on how this trait has benefited their work. I will consider then how to balance attention to detail with efficiency. By positively reframing the feedback, “I value my thoroughness, yet I see how I can streamline my process for better productivity,” they turn critique into a constructive plan for growth, embracing a mindset of continuous improvement.

Navigating feedback that challenges your mindset or work approach requires seeking clarity and creating a specific action plan. For example, if I coach/mentor my client to be more collaborative, they should first seek to understand the feedback fully: “Could you provide an example of when I could have been more collaborative?” Once the feedback is clear, they can develop a concrete plan: “I will schedule weekly check-ins with my team to gather input on my projects.” This approach ensures they understand the feedback’s intent and take actionable steps to incorporate it, leading to meaningful improvement and professional growth.

When feedback is received challenging my mental models, resistance is strong. But, then my curiosity kicks in. I ask myself questions like - What is the well meaning intention of the feedback? What can I learn if I style-switch and get out of my comfort zone? What skills can I master while I explore this. Then, as long as it aligns to my values and purpose, I implement changes that alter and widen my perspective. This adds to my repertoire of skills and experiences. It helps me build empathy and allows me to see the world from an observer point of view.

Navigating feedback effectively often involves the principle “what is measured gets done.” For instance a client of mine who’s struggling to meet sales targets to start tracking their daily activities meticulously. By measuring the number of calls made, meetings set, and follow-ups conducted, they can identify patterns and areas for improvement. This data-driven approach allows them to set specific, measurable goals for each activity, leading to increased productivity and better results. Regularly reviewing these metrics instills a sense of accountability and progress, turning feedback into actionable insights and tangible outcome.

Sometimes feedback challenging your work approach can come from a difference in leadership style or culture. I have had the experience of being very direct in workplaces where others were not. That cultural difference does not make my work approach or leadership style incorrect, it just makes it different than what others might be used to. One way to address this is to discuss this difference openly with colleagues. Sometimes it's difficult to say what others are thinking but are afraid to say; yet being open, honest, and vulnerable can create the space for others to do the same. Operating from a space of openness can build stronger, more authentic work relationships.

Approach feedback with openness. While not all feedback warrants immediate change, all feedback offers a chance to evaluate and refine your methods. Don't just discard it because it challenges you. Don't just accept it as law--even when it comes from someone with authority. Use feedback to uncover blind spots and explore new perspectives while balancing openness to feedback with discernment. If feedback challenges you, get curious--both with yourself and with the person offering feedback. Ask clarifying questions to better understand where they're coming from. If you agree with the feedback, develop an action plan to implement it. Either way, feedback is a useful tool for personal growth.