Accepting feedback isn't always easy. Knowing how to be open to feedback can help you make the most of it. Here are some steps to receiving feedback.

1. Understand What Was Said

  • Listen
  • Remain silent
  • Ask for clarification
  • Paraphrase your understanding of the feedback

2. Be Open Rather than Defensive

  • Adopt a "I want to learn about myself" attitude
  • Avoid explaining your behavior
  • Try to see the feedback from the other person's point of view

3. Separate Yourself from Your Behavior

  • Remember that the feedback is how your behavior affects the other person and that you can choose whether to change or to modify the behavior

4. Check to See if the Feedback "Fits" by Asking Yourself

  • Does it make sense?
  • Does it agree with what I know about myself?
  • Does it agree with what others have said in the past?

5. Take Action

  • If the description fits, then you can decide whether or how you want to change