Breaking Down Defensiveness Together - Build trust through consistent communication. - Offer feedback privately to reduce pressure. - Focus on specific behaviors, not personal traits. - Collaborate on solutions, showing you’re invested in their success.

Empathy and a focus on growth will help tear down defensiveness in team members when receiving feedback. Lead with the strengths first, so that feedback sounds like support of their success. Be specific to an example, without personal judgment. Engage in a two-way dialogue by asking for their perspective and involving them in creating an actionable improvement plan. It will help build trust and collaboration so that they will welcome constructive feedback.

To address a team member's defensiveness, create a supportive and collaborative environment for feedback. Focus on specific behaviors or outcomes rather than personal attributes, using examples to make feedback objective and actionable. Frame suggestions as opportunities for growth, highlighting their strengths and how changes can enhance their contributions. Encourage dialogue by asking for their perspective and fostering mutual problem-solving. Deliver feedback in private and ensure it’s tied to shared team goals, emphasizing how their improvement benefits the collective success. Building trust and maintaining respect are key to overcoming defensiveness.

To address defensiveness, I focus on building trust and creating a feedback culture where input feels routine and non-threatening. I empathize with their emotions while steering the conversation toward shared goals, framing feedback as a tool for growth. Being specific and actionable reduces ambiguity, and I follow up with support like coaching or resources to show investment in their success. This approach shifts feedback from criticism to collaboration, fostering improvement.

Implementiere eine Feedback Kultur in deinem Unternehmen das Feedback Kompetenz konsequent im Team steigert. Fordere dies konsequent ein und schärfe nach wo immer notwendig. Bediene dich Werkzeugen wie dem Loop Approach, um Werkzeuge für Empathie und Feedback systematisch zu installieren.

To address a team member’s defensiveness, start by creating a safe and private environment where they feel supported rather than judged. Use empathy and active listening to understand their perspective, focusing on specific behaviors rather than personal traits to keep the conversation objective. Begin with positive feedback to build confidence and frame suggestions as collaborative efforts using inclusive language like “we” and “let’s.” Allow them time to reflect and invite their input to make the process feel mutual. Follow up positively to acknowledge progress and reinforce growth, showing your genuine investment in their success.

Well, there is a difference of the feedback is positive, negative, constructive, destructive... Before looking at the feedback's recipient - look at yourself. Is your feedback professional - i.e. timely, personally shared, truly trying to help the recipient to develop/change/add/or whatever in his/her acting or behaving? If the answer for some of the parts is NO, do not blame anyone for defensiveness. To work with feedback (which is a powerful tool), both to give a take, needs explanation, training and understanding. Done or not? You as a leader, or the one giving feedback, are you TRUSTED by the team member and do you really CARE about the team member? If the answer is YES, then you face defensiveness VERY SELDOM.

When feedback hits a wall we should trade bluntness for empathy. My suggestion lets start with positives then frame critique as a growth opportunity. We should also listen to their side & make it a dialogue, not a lecture which is imp . Patience and trust are our best tools ALWAYS . So lets remember feedback is like a mirror it shows us what we might miss. But it works best when we polish it not shatter it ....

This is a tough one to answer since there are some team members and managers that won't listen to feedback no matter how hard you try to talk to them. But I would say that if this is the case then you should explain to them what long term problems will happen within the organization if they continue with their defensiveness.