Receiving tough feedback can be challenging, but let’s face it—it’s an essential part of personal and professional growth. In my opinion, that’s really true whether you work in compliance, or any other profession.
Yes, there are times when someone could say something in a kinder way, but as the recipient of the message, we have also a responsibility in how we respond. Learning how to accept critical feedback with grace and resilience can make all the difference in your development journey—and improve your ability to gain buy-in to your compliance program.
In this article, I’ll explore some common places where tough feedback intersects with compliance work, and provide some strategies to help you in overcoming this challenge.
Tough Feedback and Compliance
Call it criticism, or as a close friend of mine used to say—“a self-esteem workshop”—tough feedback is receiving a less-than-positive message about something you’re working on, or how you’re working on it.
In the compliance officer role, we often have to be the bearer of bad news with our healthcare leaders. To that end, tough feedback can take on many different forms. For example, it could be pushback from a department leader about how a regulatory change impacts their operations. It could be a disagreement about your response to a proposed business deal or the results of an audit. And tough feedback can be tied to how you are communicating your compliance message surrounding all these activities.
Knowing how to accept critical feedback can be a key factor between engagement and avoidance with your compliance program. For that reason, let’s take a look at some strategies that will help.
Strategies for Handling Tough Feedback
When it comes to handling tough feedback, you need to have the ability to focus on the content of the message instead of the messenger, or the way the message is being conveyed.
If that sounds easier said than done, then consider the following five strategies:
#1-Separate Emotion from Fact
It's easy to let emotions cloud your judgment when receiving tough feedback. When it comes to any situation, there are facts—and then there are interpretations of facts. The trick becomes identifying which one you are basing your response on.
To handle tough feedback effectively, you need to separate the emotion behind the feedback from the actual facts. To do that, keep your state of mind grounded in curiosity and not judgment. This will allow you to evaluate the feedback more objectively.
#2-Seek Clarification from a Curiosity State of Mind—Not a Judgmental One
Piggybacking off of the first strategy, if the feedback you’re receiving is unclear or ambiguous, then don't hesitate to ask for clarification—but do so from a state of mind rooted in curiosity and not judgment.
Keep in mind that when you’re receiving information, your state of mind will be felt by others. For example, if you’re bogged down in judgment, it will come across negatively as being defensive. On the other hand, if your state of mind is based on curiosity, it come across positively as being focused on how to improve.
To maintain your focus on curiosity, seek specific examples or instances where you may have fallen short. Also, even with the toughest feedback, there is often a grain of truth that you can learn from. Search for that instead of focusing on the negativity.
Taking these approaches not only helps you understand the feedback better but also demonstrates your willingness to learn and improve.
#3-Embrace a Growth Mindset
Building off of the last strategy, adopting a growth mindset is also crucial when handling tough feedback. Instead of viewing it as a criticism of your abilities, see it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
To that end, don’t be afraid to reach out for support from colleagues, mentors, or friends during challenging times. Discussing the feedback with others can also provide valuable insights and perspective to help you grow professionally.
#4-Keep Your Focus on Solutions—Not the Problem
Rather than dwelling on the problem that is the subject of the feedback, shift your focus to finding solutions. Here, you want to brainstorm actionable steps you can take to address the feedback and make meaningful changes.
By taking this approach, you not only develop your critical thinking skills, but also build confidence by independently developing potential solutions.
#5-Reflect and Process
Finally, take time out to reflect on the feedback once your initial emotions have settled. Here, it’s very important to climb outside of your head and identify “the why” behind the feedback that was given and how you can use it to become better.
For some practical steps, you can set aside this time for personal reflection, try journaling, or discussing the feedback with a trusted mentor or friend. These can all be strategies to help you process the feedback more positively and effectively.
Lastly, a disclaimer.
Despite my joking above, receiving tough feedback can be hard on ones’ self-esteem, so practice self-compassion by reminding yourself that nobody is perfect, and everyone makes mistakes. If you are passionate about your work, others will easily see that, and you’ll have the capital to lighten up on yourself when you make a mistake.
Tough Feedback and The Politics of Healthcare
Having the ability to handle tough feedback is a critical asset to help you in navigating the politics of healthcare. For example, when you are able to accept negative feedback and maintain a calming presence while doing so, you will position yourself as having a sense of professional judgment that can be trusted. Over time, this helps you build trust and develop stronger relationships with others in the organization.
Also, when you can focus on acting on the message being delivered and not evaluating how it’s being delivered, you become better equipped to think creatively to find solutions that work under any scenario.
Finally, being skilled at handling though feedback, aids your ability to resolve conflict by taking into account the point-of-view—and emotions—of other interested parties.
Pulling it All Together
Let’s be honest, handling tough feedback is never easy, and quickly challenges your ability to remain professional. With the right mindset and approach though, it can be a powerful asset for your growth and development.
Having this skillset will keep you from losing your cool—and the trust of your healthcare leaders. Over time, these strategies will improve your ability to build stronger relationships with others in the organization and more effectively navigate the compliance program through the politics of healthcare.
