Negative feedback can be hard to swallow when it feels unfair or excessive; yet being able to accept criticism is crucial for becoming an effective leader.
This blog post offers some practical advice for handling negative feedback in email communications. By taking these simple steps, we hope that it will enable you to respond more appropriately by turning it into an opportunity for growth rather than responding defensively or emotionally.
Reframe the Feedback
No matter the size or nature of your company, whether large enterprises with robust feedback processes or smaller local shops with repeat customers can expect negative comments at some point in time. When handled appropriately, negative feedback can become an opportunity for your business to win back customers and increase satisfaction among them.
Email communication lacks real-time verbal cues that allow for clear interpretation, making it easy to misread what was intended. Therefore, when receiving negative work-related emails it’s wise to take time before responding in an emotionally charged fashion that you may later regret.
Negative reviews or complaints may be an attempt at someone venting their frustration and hurt feelings. While it can be easy to take this feedback personally and believe the source is just being rude, it may also be beneficial to remember this could be genuine attempt at seeking assistance or improving the company.
To be more thoughtful in your response and provide them with an opportunity to explain their side of the story without becoming emotional, make sure your response demonstrates you are truly listening and care about their experience by directly addressing their issue and not using generic templates – this will show them you truly care! Turn a negative experience into positive memories both for current and potential future customers!
Take a Deep Breath
Es is easy to feel defensive in an email criticism situation, but it is essential that we take a deep breath and gain some perspective before reacting.
Doing this will allow you to avoid responding with defensive and insincere statements that might come off as insincere. If possible, step away from the computer for a bit and go take a walk or grab some coffee; giving yourself time and space to calm down will also help.
Once you’ve had time to reflect, review your feedback carefully and evaluate whether there may be any truth to what was said. If there is, take the opportunity to express your understanding of the situation as well as discuss ways in which improvements can be made moving forward.
If the feedback remains unfair, consider seeking the opinion of another trusted colleague who may provide a different point-of-view that helps reveal any blind spots within yourself.
Negative feedback may not always be easy to accept, but it is critical for business success. Receiving criticism helps identify issues and implement necessary changes; improve performance; outshout competition. But your reaction to this criticism can make or break your reputation, relationships and career goals.
By remaining professional and avoiding defensiveness, any challenging situation can become an opportunity to demonstrate your dedication to improving both your work and company. By following the advice above, you can learn how to handle negative feedback in email communications with confidence and ease. Best of luck! -Adrianne L. Clark is founder of Wordsmiths LLC where she and her team offer services worldwide.
Reread the Email
Negative feedback may be uncomfortable to hear, but it is an essential element of personal and professional growth. Receiving constructive negative feedback in a constructive manner will allow employees to reach their maximum potential at work while improving team dynamics and morale. When giving or receiving feedback via email it is vital to remain professional at all times.
Though an immediate reaction might be tempting, this will only serve to aggravate matters and create tension with whomever sent the feedback. Before replying, take some time and read it through again before responding; this will give you a clearer idea of what they mean and enable you to develop more thoughtful responses.
As you read feedback, pay particular attention to tone of voice and body language. Sometimes it is easier to interpret angry or judgmental remarks in person rather than via email, where these could potentially be misconstrued.
If responding to a manager, it’s also important to show your appreciation of their feedback. Phrases like, “Thank you for the input” can demonstrate that you value their opinion and accept constructive criticism as part of a meaningful discussion.
Responding to employees, use “you” rather than “I”. This makes your email feel less accusatory and more productive.
Ask Questions
Email can be an overwhelming source of distraction; when feedback arrives via email, responding in a professional and thoughtful way shows you are serious about improving performance as well as how well you handle criticism without taking it personally. Responding professionally shows this intent while at the same time demonstrating you can handle criticism well without taking it personally.
One effective strategy for reframing feedback is asking appropriate and relevant questions, particularly if receiving negative comments from senior leaders outside your comfort zone. Doing this can allow you to gain greater insight into the situation so you can respond appropriately.
Negative reviews can be devastating to any business, but they don’t need to destroy yours. With some work and dedication, negative online reviews can become positive online reviews that demonstrate customer care commitment and promote growth and expansion.
To do so successfully, it’s important to approach situations with empathy and curiosity. For example, when someone leaves an adverse review about your restaurant or product, try to understand what went wrong and why they’re upset – even if their complaints may seem unfair, unreasonable or excessive; there could be something valuable hidden within. If someone complains about wait time issues for instance, ask what changes could be implemented without becoming defensive about it and create opportunities to address problems without getting defensive yourself and turn a disgruntled customer into an enthusiastic brand advocate!
Sleep on It
Though no one enjoys receiving negative feedback, it is an integral component of professional growth. From in-person critique to email criticism, constructive criticism is an invaluable way to boost performance while creating stronger bonds in the workplace.
When someone offers you negative feedback, it can be intimidating or upsetting – your reaction could have an enormous effect on your relationship with them. Instead of responding immediately, take some time to consider and reflect upon their comments before responding or seeking second opinions from trusted colleagues or mentors in case the feedback might contain truth. If it still seems unfair after doing this step, seek an opinion from another source to see if another viewpoint could offer alternative insights.
At any point in reviewing and accepting feedback, don’t forget to express your gratitude to those who provided it. Being grateful shows genuine appreciation while maintaining professional standards in any dialogue that follows.
No matter how controversial or inaccurate feedback may seem, it is still important to thank those involved for their time and input – this can help defuse tensions between parties involved and keep discussions from turning into confrontational battles.
At times, your manager may choose to present feedback directly or in a group setting, according to Goredema. When this happens, be sure to prepare for it by making an action plan to address any concerns and determine how you’ll improve in the future – this way you’ll feel at ease knowing you can handle any negative feedback in future encounters.