Navigating Tough Feedback: A Career Reflection
Picture this: you're hard at work on a major project, and a colleague approaches you and says, "Hey, can I give you some feedback?" You feel a knot in your stomach, knowing that this isn't going to be a fun conversation. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened to me back when I was employed at WeWork.
A colleague pulled me aside and delivered some tough feedback: "Vanessa, you're being short, rude, and not very collegial to the team members working with you on this project. If you communicate your requests differently, with less hostility, you'll get a better reception." Ouch.
My first instinct was to defend myself. I felt that this person was wrong — I wasn't being rude; it was simply that my colleagues were too sensitive; they didn’t understand the immense pressure from the founders to deliver the project. But deep down, I recognized that my style hadn’t been the best — not even close — even if it was unintentional.
That moment was a turning point. Self-reflection helped me realize how disconnected I was from myself and my career. Radical responsibility helped me take ownership. I was successful by some standards, but I was not the person I wanted to be by my own definition.
That's the power of a mirror. Sometimes, we need someone to hold up a mirror and reflect our behavior back to us. It's not always easy to face, but it's necessary if we want to grow and become the best version of ourselves.
Let my story be a reminder that feedback, no matter how difficult to hear, can be an incredible gift.
