What do you do if you receive feedback that contradicts your own perspective?

Imagine you're in a team meeting discussing a new marketing strategy you've proposed. A colleague provides feedback suggesting that your approach might not resonate with the target audience as effectively as anticipated. Instead of reacting defensively or becoming agitated, you take a moment to compose yourself. You acknowledge the feedback with a calm demeanor, showing respect for their perspective and maintaining a conducive atmosphere for further discussion.

Por supuesto. Mantener la serenidad y abordar los comentarios de manera constructiva es esencial para nuestro desarrollo. Aunque puede ser difícil no dejarse llevar por las emociones, recordemos que la retroalimentación, incluso cuando es contradictoria, nos brinda la oportunidad de crecer y mejorar.

Quando você receber feedback que contradiz sua perspectiva, respire fundo e mantenha a calma. Escute atentamente, sem interrupções, para compreender completamente o ponto de vista da outra pessoa. Evite reações defensivas ou impulsivas. Em vez disso, faça perguntas para esclarecer e entender melhor o feedback. Reconheça a validade das opiniões dos outros, mesmo que você não concorde com elas. Considere se há aspectos do feedback que você pode usar para melhorar ou ajustar sua abordagem. Agradeça à pessoa pelo feedback e demonstre que está aberto a discutir e trabalhar em conjunto para resolver quaisquer preocupações.

Receber feedback que contradiz nossa própria perspectiva pode ser desafiador, mas também é uma oportunidade valiosa para crescimento e aprendizado. Aqui está uma contribuição sobre como lidar com essa situação: Pratique a escuta ativa: Quando receber feedback que contradiz sua perspectiva, pratique a escuta ativa. Isso significa realmente ouvir o que a outra pessoa está dizendo sem interromper ou julgar. Demonstre empatia e abertura para entender o ponto de vista do outro.

Esse comportamento de se manter calmo ao ter uma conversa que no primeiro momento voce pode achar um pouco "desagradável" é algo que trabalho em mim desde o meu primeiro trabalho informal aos 12 anos de idade, tive um empregador que lembro até hoje e olhando para trás posso chamá-lo de amigo, ele era um homem muito resiliente e me ensinou muitas coisas, foi um grande exemplo de como se portar em situações difíceis e no dia a dia com os seus colaboradores.

“Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.” ~ Bruce Lee I’ve always loved this quote because of its pure depth. •Water seeks its own level •Changes shape to conform to the vessel it’s in •Rises in the hot times, •Hardens in the cold times. Water doesn’t care about perception, water is the proverbial “unstoppable force” when you throw perception out the window and like water constantly adjust to the world around you, you yourself become unstoppable.

Suppose you've just delivered a presentation to your supervisor, and they offer feedback on your delivery style. Rather than immediately defending your approach, you actively listen to their critiques. You maintain eye contact, nodding to show your understanding, and refrain from interrupting. By fully engaging in the feedback process, you gain valuable insights into areas where you can refine your presentation skills for future opportunities.

Respect and openness to new feedbacks is essential. It might seem that sometimes what we perceive is not really a fact. We might believe something to be our strength however turns out to be a weakness. It is essential to actively listen to those feedbacks, reflect honestly and even then if it contradicts with our believes then seeking clarity.

As a team lead or team member, listening actively to other people's opinions does matter. If you're speaking, you like to be heard. Hence, when other members of your team are speaking, hear them out. Listening can open you up to little mistakes you may have in your own approach, a better way of doing that same thing, a new way of achieving a goal etc.

Imagine que você passou dias elaborando uma apresentação, chegou a hora de você apresentar a sua ideia 💡, você faz uma apresentação impecável, tudo saiu como você planejou, mas, você esqueceu de um detalhe e um dos seus colegas diz que sua ideia não vai dá certo e expõe os fatos que ao ponto de vista dele, pode prejudicar a operação. No primeiro a emoção pode tentar tomar conta de você, mas, você respira fundo e decide escutar com atenção e descobre que realmente você pode alterar alguns detalhes para melhorar o planejamento e no fim você ganhou um upgrade na sua apresentação, teve um debate super instrutivo e aprendeu uma abordagem nova ou um jeito melhor de colocar em prática a sua ideia.

Following a client meeting, your team leader provides feedback that suggests your negotiation tactics may have been too aggressive, potentially jeopardizing the client relationship. Instead of dismissing their comments outright, you take time to reflect on your behavior during the meeting. Upon honest reflection, you recognize instances where your assertiveness may have come across as overly confrontational. This acknowledgment prompts you to consider alternative approaches to negotiation that prioritize collaboration and mutual respect.

Understand that being adaptable is a strength. If the feedback highlights an area for improvement, embrace it as an opportunity to learn and evolve.

É muito importante ter em mente que sempre podemos ser pessoas melhores, tanto na nossa vida pessoal quanto na profissional e o jeito mais rápido de fazer isso é ouvindo o que as outras pessoas tem a dizer e refletir sobre as ideias expostas na conversa, a auto avaliação é algo indispensável quando queremos nos tornar um profissional de sucesso e virar referência no nosso meio.

Suppose you receive feedback from a colleague regarding your contributions to a group project, stating that you were not sufficiently collaborative. Rather than making assumptions or jumping to conclusions, you seek clarification by asking specific questions. You inquire about which aspects of your behavior were perceived as lacking collaboration and request examples to better understand their perspective. This clarification enables you to address any misunderstandings and take actionable steps to enhance your teamwork skills.

During a performance review with your manager, they provide feedback on your time management skills, suggesting that you often miss deadlines. Instead of becoming defensive, you engage in an open discussion about the challenges you've encountered and the support you may need to improve. You share your perspective on the workload distribution and any external factors impacting your ability to meet deadlines. Through open dialogue, you and your manager collaborate to identify strategies for improving your time management practices.

After receiving feedback from a client expressing dissatisfaction with the level of communication during a project, you schedule a meeting to address their concerns. Together with the client, you develop a plan to establish regular progress updates, set clear expectations for communication channels, and implement feedback mechanisms. By involving the client in the planning process, you demonstrate your commitment to addressing their feedback and strengthening the client relationship.

La colaboración en el desarrollo de un plan de acción basado en la retroalimentación es clave para el avance del equipo. Aceptar diferencias de opinión, promueve un enfoque colaborativo e impulsa el progreso conjunto. Al involucrar a todos en la resolución, se realza el valor del éxito del trabajo en equipo.

Beyond the specific feedback received, it's essential to consider the broader context surrounding the situation. For example, if multiple team members provide similar feedback about your leadership style, it may indicate a pattern worth exploring further. Additionally, consider the timing and delivery of the feedback, as well as the motivations and perspectives of the individuals providing it. By examining the feedback holistically, you can gain deeper insights into areas for growth and development in your professional journey.

I like to play the role of discussant or "agent provocateur" on most occasions with my teams. I tend to be the person who debates ideas in order to generate brainstorming. I find it very useful because, even if you think your point of view is 100% correct, when you discuss it in detail you discover weaknesses and opportunities for improvement ;)