Moving From Reaction to Reflection When Receiving Feedback

Medical and health professions educators have become increasingly adept at teaching how to give feedback. We emphasize specificity, psychological safety, and coaching for growth. Yet even expertly delivered feedback has limited impact if the learner is unable to receive it. This raises an important question: How do we help learners become more receptive to feedback?

Receiving feedback is not a passive skill. It is an active process of listening, interpreting, and deciding what to do next. In the book Thanks for the Feedback, the receiver, not the giver, is ultimately responsible for what happens after feedback is delivered. In light of this, developing feedback receptivity and encouraging feedback-seeking behavior may be among the most underappreciated skills we teach.

Feedback receptivity begins with understanding our reactions. In a previous MedEdPearl, we explored the emotions that feedback evokes and introduced the concept of feedback triggers. Most of us assume that our response to feedback depends on its quality. In reality, our response is often shaped less by what is said than by the meaning we assign to it. There are three predictable "feedback triggers" that interfere with our ability to learn.

Truth triggers may occur when we question the value of the feedback itself. We may believe it is inaccurate, too vague, or inconsistent with our own perception of events. Rather than rejecting the message outright, learners can ask, “Can you give me an example?” or “Please help me understand what you observed.” Curiosity often uncovers valuable information that defensiveness may obscure.

Relationship triggers may arise when our reaction is driven by who is giving the feedback rather than the feedback itself. We naturally judge credibility, motives, and past interactions. While these factors matter, separating the message from the messenger allows us to ask a more productive question: “What, if anything, can I learn from this feedback?”

Identity triggers are perhaps the most powerful because they challenge our sense of who we are. Feedback that conflicts with a valued identity (i.e. "I am a good communicator," "I am organized," or "I am an effective teacher") can quickly become a threat rather than an opportunity. Recognizing that discomfort as an identity trigger helps shift the focus from protecting our self-image to supporting our continued development.

The goal is not to eliminate these reactions, because they are a normal part of being human. Rather, the goal is to recognize them before they dictate our response. If feedback triggers are predictable, then so are the strategies that help mitigate them. Helping learners recognize their feedback triggers and reactions is a role we as educators can play. Receptivity can be taught by encouraging concrete habits and mindsets in our learners, for example:

• Pause before responding: Initial reactions are often emotional rather than reflective
• Seek understanding before evaluation: Clarifying questions are usually more productive than immediate explanations
• Assume there is something worth learning: Even imperfectly delivered feedback may contain useful information
• Separate your performance from your identity: Feedback describes something you did, not who you are
• Decide intentionally what to carry forward: Receiving feedback does not require agreeing with every word; it requires thoughtfully considering what will improve future performance

These strategies shift feedback conversations from judgment toward learning, helping learners develop what might be considered feedback resilience: the capacity to remain curious even when feedback is uncomfortable. When learners consistently approach feedback with that mindset, feedback becomes more than a conversation; it can become a catalyst for lifelong learning.

What strategies have you used to enhance feedback receptivity, either your own or others’? Check out these related previous MedEdPearls focused on receiving feedback, assumptions in feedback conversations, and the role of emotions in feedback.