Benefiting from negative feedback

This article discusses why it is so hard for people to benefit from negative feedback. We examine factors involved in the effective use of negative feedback. Our analysis suggests that the main obstacles to the effective use of negative feedback stem from the failure to obtain it and the failure to conduct an accurate appraisal of it. This is in contrast to research indicating that the main obstacle to the effective use of positive feedback lies more in avoiding its detrimental consequences after repeated exposure to it than in obtaining it or appraising it.