Career Growth · 6 min read
How to Use Feedback to Grow at Work
By NewGenJobs Editorial Team · 1 July 2026
Feedback can feel personal, especially when you are new or trying hard. The most useful response is to separate the message from the emotion, clarify what good looks like and decide on one next action.
Listen for the specific behaviour
Ask for an example if feedback is vague. “Could you show me what a complete report looks like?” is easier to act on than “be more proactive”.
Focus on the behaviour, process or output being discussed—not on a story that you are incapable. A gap is information, and information can be used.
Agree a next step
End a feedback conversation with one concrete action, a timeframe and a way to check progress. This might be using a checklist, sending a draft earlier or shadowing a colleague for a task.
Do not try to improve everything at once. A visible change in one area builds trust and makes future feedback easier to use.
Keep your own record
Write down the agreed action and the result. It creates useful evidence for performance reviews and stops you from relying on a stressed memory.
When you receive positive feedback, record that too. Growth includes understanding what to keep doing, not only what to fix.