Your team is resistant to constructive feedback. How can you effectively address their reluctance?

First and foremost you should ensure that the feedback that you give is contrctive in nature and given on a frequent and structured basis through regular one to one meetings. This shows that you care and will be seen as highly professional by the people that work with you and report to you. In this light never forget the words of Théodore Roosevelt: "People don't care ho much you know till they know how much you care" Even more imortant this gives you the opprtunity to listen attentively to your people and build rapport and trust and let's you avoid what Andy Stanley talks about in his famous quote: "Leaders who don't listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say"

*Trust is the cornerstone of effective management, especially when overcoming feedback resistance. Demonstrate your genuine commitment to growth, share how feedback has propelled your career, and ensure feedback sessions are a safe space for open dialogue. This approach turns feedback into a catalyst for constructive change.*

ACE Feedback Reluctance Align - Communicate organizational goals and how individual performance contributes to them. - Connect employee's personal and professional development goals to the team's objectives. - Regularly discuss performance expectations and how feedback aligns with these expectations. Cultivate - Create a psychologically safe environment where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities. - Encourage open dialogue and two-way feedback. - Model desired behavior by being open to feedback. Empower - Provide specific, actionable feedback that focuses on behavior and impact. - Offer coaching and development opportunities based on feedback. - Recognize and reward employees for seeking and acting on feedback.

Effective management begins with building trust, especially when dealing with resistance to feedback. You have to show your staff that you truly care about their development and the success of the group. Tell about your personal feedback-giving experiences and how they helped you advance in your job. Promote open communication and make sure that team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns during feedback sessions. Establishing a foundation of trust can help allay worries and pave the way for more positive interactions.

To effectively address a team's resistance to constructive feedback, start by understanding the root cause—whether it's fear, lack of trust, or past negative experiences. Create a safe environment where feedback is framed as a growth tool, not criticism. Lead by example, sharing how feedback has positively influenced your own development. Encourage two-way communication, making it clear that their input is also valued. Reinforce the idea that feedback is a collaborative process aimed at mutual success. Over time, as trust builds and the team sees the benefits, their reluctance should decrease, leading to a more open and constructive atmosphere.

It's so important to clarify why constructive criticism is being given, and that it's there to help them grow, not to put them down. It can always be hard to deliver and hear criticism, but making sure that you can do it in the most constructive way possible is key.

What is the key to making constructive feedback more palatable? Simple, normalize goal setting, career development, and recognition into your daily routine. This allows you to provide incremental, actionable feedback towards positive change regularly, instead of larger, sometime daunting changes that can feel more overwhelming. In addition, providing feedback once or twice a year tend to put teammates in the defensive vs regular conversations which can feel more optimistic. This will allow you to leverage your annual conversations to focus in more bigger picture goals and how their skills are well suited to help you achieve them.