Don’t Let Your Brain’s Defense Mechanisms Thwart Effective Feedback

Don’t Let Your Brain’s Defense Mechanisms Thwart Effective Feedback

How we can elude the various mental processes that may lead us to misinterpret feedback.

Author(s): James R. Detert, Ethan R. Burris

Publisher: Harvard Business Review

Date of publication: 2016

Read this article on the publisher's website [Harvard Business Review]

Summary

The brain’s defense mechanisms help us perceive danger and react to it automatically. But this perception of danger is often excessive. So, in our professional life, our defensive reflexes may lead us to react inappropriately to feedback. Supported by the work of behavioral and cognitive therapy, this article explains how we can challenge our reflexive thoughts and replace them with more appropriate interpretations.