We all say we want feedback.
But when it finally shows up? Most leaders shut down.
👉 The truth: it’s not feedback that stings, it’s how we process it. Leaders who metabolize discomfort gain credibility. Those who don’t, plateau.
📊 HBR found that 72% of employees believe critical feedback is essential for growth. Yet only 5% think their managers deliver it.
Here’s the paradox:
👉 When feedback is critical, many leaders dismiss it.
👉 When feedback is glowing, others feel unsatisfied: “Surely there’s something I can improve.”
I’ve been there. Years ago, at A.T. Kearney, I stepped in to deliver a series of training sessions. The feedback after the first class? Brutal!
My first reaction—defensiveness and resentment. But after sitting with it, I used it to improve. At the very next class, I opened by acknowledging the critique, thanking the group, and inviting more. That moment built trust and sharpened my presentation skills.
A boss once told me: “Feedback with an upgrade is love.”
Ethan Evans, former VP at Amazon, puts it this way: “Feedback is a gift, even when it’s painful. Feelings pass, but the insight remains.”
That’s the mindset shift:
👉 Don’t see feedback as a bruise to your ego.
👉 See it as a lever for growth.
💡 Leaders who can absorb tough feedback, metabolize the discomfort, and act on it earn trust—and credibility.
So let me ask you:
When was the last time you received tough feedback? Did you treat it as an ego bruise or as a growth lever?
Drop your story in the comments. Someone else might grow from it!