Second Cup: Thank you for bringing that to my attention

How to acknowledge feedback, even if you can’t always use it

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's
tip is about how to respond to feedback about improving
your work. Start by saying thank you for bringing that
to my attention. Whether you intend to do anything about

(00:32):
the feedback or not, this phrase keeps things courteous and
makes the person giving the feedback feel heard. Whatever your field,
it is likely that you sometimes get feedback about what
you could do differently, perhaps from a boss or a client,
or from a trusted colleague, but it could also be

(00:54):
from a person you've never met who just wants to
share his or her opinion. Sometimes this feedback is phrased nicely,
and sometimes it's just blunt. You know how this goes.
I had a hard time hearing you during that presentation.
You really need to use a mic next time. Or

(01:16):
you use the phrase you know way too often. You
really should practice more to get rid of it. Or
this signage is so confusing, I'm surprised anyone can find
your office. Or my appointment was an hour ago and
I haven't even laid eyes on the doctor yet. Whatever
the nature of the feedback and whoever is offering it.

(01:38):
Thank you for bringing that to my attention can be
a great response. For one thing, if you receive the
feedback in person, simply saying thank you for bringing that
to my attention saves you from the awkward moment of
figuring out a good immediate response. You have a pocket
phrase ready to go. Oh thank you for bringing that

(02:02):
to my attention also strikes a collaborative tone, not a
defensive one. Getting defensive tends to raise the temperature on
a situation quickly, and especially if you are dealing with
an aggravated customer, turning down the temperature can be incredibly important.

(02:23):
This phrase communicates that you heard the person and that
you appreciate and are receptive to their suggestion. You position
the person offering the feedback as on your team. You
are both motivated to make your work better, and ideally
that is the case, you are both hoping that any

(02:45):
situation can be better. Sometimes people truly do offer helpful feedback,
even if they are blunt. Lots of offices could improve
their signage. Sometimes emergencies happen, but sometimes people are late
because of bad systems that could be improved. I probably

(03:06):
do say you know too much in my interviews. On
the other hand, sometimes feedback is really more about the
person who offers it venting, and sometimes even if the
suggestion is spot on, you might not have the power
to implement it. When that is the case, the added

(03:27):
benefit of the phrase thank you for bringing that to
my attention is that you are not promising to do anything.
You are thanking people for their concern, and then you
are free to do whatever makes the most sense. If
you try using the phrase thank you for bringing that
to my attention to respond to feedback, I hope you'll

(03:49):
let me know how it goes. I'd also love to
hear any other pocket phrases you find useful. I am
always looking for more ideas. You can reach me at
Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. In the meantime, this
is Laura. Thanks for listening and here's to making the

(04:11):
most of our time.

Speaker 1 (04:19):
Hey, everybody, I'd love to hear from you. You can
send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just
connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at Before
Breakfast Pod that's b E the number four then Breakfast Pod.
You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast
Podcast at iHeartMedia dot Com that before Breakfast is spelled

(04:43):
out with all the letters, thanks so much, should I
look forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a
production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the
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favorite shows.