How to deal with negative feedback to your work?
Tips Work And Study / / December 19, 2019
For example operation where negative feedback hit the hardest, not have to walk. This web designers. Imagine that you work up a sweat (even at night) to develop a site design for major brands. Imagine that after a brutal week and almost around the clock work, you see the result, which happily run shivers and you can not wait to show the result to the client.
The moment of truth comes when the client passes sentence:
"Well, sorry to say, I expected something better."
Chances are you familiar with this situation: you do the work, which is really proud and someone without your skills, knowledge and experience brings momentary criticism, often based on vague or subjective criteria. For example, such critics can not very well understand the design, but to know what they do not like.
And, as you relate to these people against the perpetrators - the client, you must help them to articulate what it is they do not like to continue the work on the project. Easier said than done, because the criticism has a property very sting.
Let's look at how to respond to this kind of feedback to your work:
1. Take a deep breath and focus on their own purposes (own vision)
No matter how much you are disappointed, hurt, or even evil - in any case, do not react defensively or aggressively! Start with a deep breath and remind yourself of your goal.
2. clarified
Before we explain, defend, or to make changes, it is important to understand that it is not like your work to the client. It is not so easy, because it is usually the first customer reaction is not very clear and constructive.
Here are some examples of useless feedback:
- Vague criticism. The rejection of the work in general terms, without specifying on what criteria is based criticism: "terrible," "a terrible design", "nothing good", "disappointing."
- The lack of examples. The client is unable to back up his words with examples.
- Exaggeration. Sided black-and-white judgment deny the existence of shades of gray (intermediate versions, alternative views).
- Irreverent criticism. Manifestation of aggression and rudeness on the part of the client.
Before the start of a constructive conversation, you need to clarify that it is not satisfied with the customer. These specific questions will help you:
- "What is it you do not like?"
- "Could you give an example (s)?"
- "Could you show on the part of the work that you do not like?"
- "You do not like to directly select the font or its size?"
- "You do not like the story or the way it is told?"
At this stage, your goal is - to understand and help the customer to formulate its criteria of judgment, and detail why (in his opinion) the work does not meet these criteria. You do not agree with the customer, you just clarify what he meant by his recall.
3. Ask questions focused on the solution of the problem
The next step towards a peaceful resolution of the arisen situation is either (a) adoption of the work in its current form, or (b) consent to the amendments. Questions focused on the solution is a powerful tool in the achievement of a peace agreement.
Describe a potential solution to the customer and ask whether it would be acceptable to the other person. For example, to validate some of the work in its present form, you can say:
"I know you do not like the look, but if I can lead the evidence in favor of what your customers prefer this design, do you approve it?"
Or by agreeing to make changes, you can ask:
"If I change the color and add a new title, whether you're happy?"
Your goal - to end the call with a clearly agreed the next step. The client may still be skeptical, but at least you'll know what to do to your work approved.