Many years ago, I had a manager tell me I was doing "a sh*t job" and that I needed to do better to stay employed. I was a new salesman then and was still getting a grasp on things. With that said, her feedback didn't ever sit well with me -- and it didn't provoke any change either, except to induce generalized anxiety being around her.

According to Gallup research, "only 26% of employees strongly agree that the feedback they get helps them do better work." In my years of leading various teams and projects, it's clear that feedback is only as effective as the recipient's willingness to engage with it.

For us to ensure this willingness to engage, it is paramount that we reflect on how we deliver such feedback. In this article, I will share the psychology of feedback reception and a simple framework for constructing well-received feedback.