Day #22: Feedback With Grace
Perfect Practice

Welcome to Day 22 of the 30-Day Say It Skillfully Challenge! Yesterday focused on delivering feedback in a way that builds trust and momentum. Today turns to the other side of the exchange: how we receive feedback.

Here's the truth: while how feedback is delivered is out of our control, we can control how we receive it. Feedback doesn't always come perfectly packaged. It may be clumsy, incomplete, or poorly timed. Still, skillful communicators choose the high road, assuming positive intent where possible, accepting the gift graciously, and focusing on what they can learn rather than how it was delivered. That choice—more than the feedback itself—is what fuels growth. 

Today's Challenge Scenario: 

You receive feedback from a manager that catches you off guard. They say something like, "I think the way you handled that meeting came across as dismissive." You didn't intend that at all, and the comment feels blunt. Your instinct is to explain yourself or mentally dismiss it because the delivery wasn't great. 

What do you do?  

Instead of reacting to the tone or defending your intent, try staying open to the information. A grounded response might sound like: "Thank you for sharing this—I certainly want to improve. Help me understand how that landed so I can be more effective" or "Thank you. That's helpful to know and not my intention. Would you say more?"

Why this works: This approach keeps you in control. You're not agreeing or disagreeing but choosing to learn first. Even if the feedback wasn't delivered skillfully, you're extracting what's useful and deciding how to apply it. 

Receiving feedback with grace doesn't mean accepting every critique as truth. It means recognizing that data is data, and there is value in knowing how others experience us, even when it's uncomfortable to hear. When you respond with curiosity instead of defensiveness, you signal confidence, maturity, and leadership.

Cheering for you to make the most of this 30-day challenge—whether you're recommitting to a resolution, trying something new, or simply choosing to turn over a fresh leaf this year. One small step today can change how you show up all year long. You've got this!