How to turn tough feedback into your best career asset

Are you secretly dreading your next piece of feedback? Do you find yourself going into defence mode the moment someone tells you something you don't want to hear?You're not alone. And it's not a character flaw. Your brain is literally wired to treat negative feedback as a threat, triggering a fight-or-flight response that makes it almost impossible to hear what's actually being said. The result? You either shut down, go on the defensive, or walk away without extracting the really valuable data that could transform your career trajectory.In this episode, Heather explores the art of receiving difficult feedback with intelligence and composure. And why your ability to do this well is one of the fastest accelerators on your path to partner. Inspired by a substack note from Maurizio Cuna, partner in the consulting arm of a global technology firm and author of Beyond Slides, this episode gives you the exact framework to turn even the most uncomfortable feedback conversation into career gold.In this episode you will learn:How to manage your brain's threat response so you can actually hear what's being said instead of going into damage controlWhy vague feedback like "you need more gravitas" is useless, and the exact questions to ask to uncover the specific behaviours behind itHow to keep digging to find out whether you're dealing with an isolated incident or a deeper reputational issue that could be quietly killing your partnership chancesThe one email to send 24 hours after receiving difficult feedback that shows you've heard it, and actively involves the other person in your developmentIf you find this episode useful, don't forget to like it andJoin our Progress To Partner Academy - https://subscribe.howtomakepartner.com/progresstopartner/ and use the code PODCAST10 to get 10% off 12 months of premium annual membership.Links:Complete our FREE Partnership Readiness Assessment - https://careerprogressionreadiness.scoreapp.com to see where you have gaps in your own development - you'll get a personalised report with actions for what progress your career forwardConnect with me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/heathertownsend/Join our Progress To Partner Academy - https://subscribe.howtomakepartner.com/progresstopartner/ and use the code PODCAST10 to get 10% off 12 months of premium annual membership.Buy your copy of Poised for Partnership - https://amzn.to/3ETEYk3Buy your copy of How To Make Partner And Still Have A Life - https://amzn.to/4iLxugMBuy your copy of The Go To Expert - https://amzn.to/3HGPYlPBuy your copy of The Financial Times Guide To Business Networking - https://amzn.to/406QPma Get full access to How to Make Partner at howtomakepartner.substack.com/subscribe