15 hours ago
This is 'the most underrated career skill,' says Wharton workplace expert: It can help you grow as an employee and get ahead
You're more likely to get ahead in your career if you're good at receiving negative but well-intended feedback, Wharton organizational psychologist Adam Grant wrote in a May 22 post on social media platform X.
"The most underrated career skill is the ability to receive tough love," he wrote. "Acquiring knowledge is easy. Obtaining constructive criticism is hard. If you can't handle the truth, people stop telling you the truth."
"The people who grow the most are the ones who take feedback the best," Grant added.
Absorbing constructive criticism at work is often easier said than done. It's natural to get defensive, Grant said on March 2018 episode of his "WorkLife" podcast. In response, you may list off reasons why you're right, or question the other person's motives.
"Negative feedback sets off alarm bells," said Grant. "It actually touches a nerve in your body. … Your mind races. You start to put up shields and mount a counterattack."
Reacting appropriately — without getting defensive — can help increase your job performance, satisfaction and relationships at work, some experts say.
The process of accepting tough feedback starts the moment you receive it, leadership expert and former Procter & Gamble executive Scott Mautz wrote in an article for CNBC Make It in 2024. Before you respond, start by taking a deep breath. Then reply calmly and professionally, he wrote.
Once you're alone, you can decide how to interpret and integrate the feedback. Here are some steps to take, according to Mautz:
Shifting how you think about and react to criticism can affect the way you work on a grander level, Grant said on his podcast. Think of yourself as an Olympic athlete who wants to know how to get better, rather than just being told they're good, he added. "The best way to prove yourself is to show that you're willing to improve yourself," said Grant.
