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Welcome to Jon Michail’s Personal Branding Masterclass. Jon is the founder and CEO of image group international, an award-winning image consulting and personal branding pioneer established in 1989. This podcast will bring you old-school wisdom, inspiring ideas, strategies and hacks for the new tech world. Here you will learn everything about personal branding: the system, the techniques and the right mindset to have a successful personal brand, image and reputation.

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Hello, everybody. Welcome back to my show. I'm John Michail, your host and today we will chat about dealing with a digital will. The topic is negative feedback and Criticism Online and how to EQ your personal and business brand. But before we delve in today's episode, let's stay connected. You can find me on X Twitter, as Jon_Michail on LinkedIn as Jon Michail and on Facebook as image Group International. In a digital world where opinions now freely flow, handling negative feedback when criticism is an inevitable aspect of building and maintaining your personal brand. Today we'll explore effective strategies to navigate this challenging terrain. And of course, turn criticism into an opportunity for growth and who doesn't like an opportunity for growth. So let's get started. There is a bias known as negativity bias. And it's powerful. flippin negativity bias, especially in the digital realm involves intentional practices that shift focus from negative to positive, fostering a healthier perspective. So navigating negative comments and trolls alike can be a nuanced art, I would say. And I'll cover some of these counter intuitive responses, they can turn potential conflicts into positive outcomes for both you and your business. So we agree that it's essential to acknowledge and obviously address criticism, rather than ignore it, we know that to be true. And by doing so you're demonstrating authenticity, resilience, and a commitment to continuous improvement by your actions. And what I want to explain to you is what that actually looks like. So let's delve into some of those practical strategies for effectively dealing with some of this negative feedback and Criticism Online. Because it's up to us as individuals to make the appropriate responses. Remember, we can't ignore things, the more you ignore things, the more they fester, it's a bit like a dead body in the cupboard, eventually, the smell, or the stink is gonna get everyone's notice. So you don't want to be doing that. So we're confronted with negative feedback, the initial response is crucial. Take a moment to take a deep breath. Yes, stay calm and assess the situation objectively. This is where it fits in from the point of view of, you know, having some grounding around the calmness of what it will take to respond as opposed to just being emotionally reactive, and getting caught up with the drama. Emotions can cloud judgement, and responding impulsively, might escalate the issue. And that's exactly what Charles love, deep hated emotion. And of course, we can all relate in our own lives regarding that particular statement. At times, we might have even gotten involved with that sounds. So there's enough evidence to show that that's not the most effective way of reacting. So some examples might include, you know, thank them for their feedback. 

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First of all, expressing gratitude for critical feedback can disarm the commencer and also shift the conversations tone, it shows you're open to growth, and value input even if delivered harshly. Another example is invite them for a private conversation or take them offline offering to discuss their concerns privately, moves the conversations away from the public domain, and de escalates the potential conflict, showing your commitment to resolving issues. Because in the end, that's what you want to do, right resolve an issue. You don't want to make the drama bigger than it is. And another point is highlight the point. Agreeing with any valid part of the criticism demonstrates humility and an openness to improvement. And he can also surprise the commenter. And of course, the audience listening potentially all following you know, if it's tax, obviously, et cetera, potentially shifting the narrative. So differentiate between constructive criticism and modern line trials. This is very, very important. However, we also know that constructive feedback, now let's change that constructive feed forward, provides insights and suggestions for improvement While Charles aimed to provoke and create conflict, and of course in the social media domain, and just digital Overall, it's a potential minefield for conflict, okay, because human beings you know, are not designed to be communicating like that we're mostly historically face to face. We like the people interaction. And that's why in the face to face situation, you'll be able to deal with conflict, so much better than trying to do it over text or any form of technology. The best way is always face to face. Because if you make a mistake, or you say something that's insensitive, you can quickly fix it right? You can quickly react to that by being positive, admitting your mistake. And so we're definitely on a digital perspective. I've seen wars erupt. And of course, you're that's a perfect example, that you know, there's many, many, many examples where it shows that that's not the most effective, but sometimes that's the way you've got to react. So the since that's an important part of the digital world, then you've got to learn how to do this in the best way possible. So responding to criticism with gratitude, you know, and it's interesting, right? Somebody criticises you, and you respond with gratitude. Now, that's very counterintuitive, because most people don't expect that. So we're gonna magically starts to show something about you. And this commitment also shows to you know, that you're willing to improve, because you're not a not all that knows everything, you know, so this improvement can turn nearly any negative situation into a positive one. That's certainly my experience. 

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And also remember to craft professional and composure responses to negative feedback, remember, don't be reactive, definitely don't be reactive, and avoid being defensive also, or engaging in online arguments. And no one's gonna win in reference to that. So instead, express appreciation for the feedback as a settle, feed forward a gate address concerns and of course, outline steps you're going to take to address this particular issue. So some suggestions, well, first of all, ask for a suggestion, ask the critic for their input on how to improve or handle the situation, not only can provide valuable insights, but also makes them part of the solution, potentially turning a critic into a collaborator. But you might also again, you're gonna make the decision here, you could also take this offline as well. Complementary insight is a lover approach and knowledge and the intelligence or insight behind the negative common can flip also, the script encouraging people to interact with you more positively also shows the get up the audience that your grace under fire, and of course of from the perspective of the comments that gives them an opportunity also to correct themselves and their potential negative comment that they actually gave you offer a resources another idea, if the common the highlights a misunderstanding, lack of information. Providing a resource, like an article, for instance, or video, not only educates the commenter, but also positions you and your business is helpful and authoritative. It shows the world that you've got ideas out there, you're not stuck, don't get caught up with a you made a mistake. So what we make mistakes all the time, the concept theory is to be humble enough to deal with the mistakes and doing whatever possible to move forward with that. And remember, if the criticism requires a more in depth discussion or resolution, consider taking the conversation offline. And I certainly wouldn't suggest that in many, many cases, unless, of course, you wanted to create a situation where of course, your comments can also then have an impact on other people as well, because you're going to take this positive road. So these are all choices you've got to make at that moment. These are only ideas that I'm sharing with you today. So direct the individual to a private message or email where you can address the concerns in a more personal and confidential matter certainly plays a big part here, we would also recommend that, as I've mentioned, numerous times, so use the negative feedback as an opportunity for personal and professional growth. You know, as a coach, when things a time go re I don't go and blame my clients, my team, or anyone else involved in the conversation, I go back and look at the mirror, and I say what could I have done better? And this has helped me and serve me well over the last 35 Odd G's. 

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So this is something that I recommend to my clients as well. The first thing is reflect back in the mirror, okay, why are we getting this feedback? Why is this happening in this way, don't blame the other side. By the way, even if there are troll or some bot or whatever's going on there that's sending all this rubbish. Just look at that. And of course, then objectively analyse the feedback and identify the areas for improvement moving forward. And this is a commitment to continuous learning. And that's also important because you're building a culture of no blame it taking responsibility and also accountability to improve and I think that's actually a good thing. That's certainly why bias. So demonstrating a willingness to evolve and adapt, enhances your personal and business brain and I think also helps you build a great culture. Because you don't want people hiding things, you want people to basically be open. Okay, we want to grow, even if it's, you know, something negative is happening. Other ideas include sharing a personal story, you know, responding with a relevant personal story also makes a difference, illustrate your point, it also shows your human side. And this, of course, creates a connection and softens the hearts of critics. Another idea is express empathy, showing understanding and empathy for that commenters perspective, even if you disagree can reduce the sterility and model constructive communication for your audience be real at the same time be professional show, but at the same time, you know, a human heart is really what connects. And another idea is he turned this opportunity into content use the criticism as a springboard for creating content that addresses that concern, demonstrate definitely your expertise and shows that you're listening. So this proactive approach can enhance your brand's reputation. Of course, it also shows that you're courageous and authentic. And this is very important, you're not courageous and authentic, because that is a serious differentiation in today's world, because courage is also disappearing quickly. And of course, authenticity is everything because you've got so much fakeness going on. So finally, I'd say get a highlight the positive outcome, if the negative comment is about a specific issue, share a story of how addressing a similar feedback in the past also led to positive change. And you can do that as a case study. Also to clients as a coach, of course, I would do that regularly. This shows your commitment to continuous improvement, and can inspire confidence in your brand. Remember, if you're not continuously improving, you're actually going backwards. Because if you're not moving, you're actually going backwards life, you know, human beings are designed to constantly move forward. That's how it works. The Universe spins, daily seconds in microseconds, human beings also have to move as well. And what that means is, at times, you've got to put yourself out there and of course, in a changing world where this challenge is coming from all sorts of different directions, you got to have at least the initiative to say I'm gonna go out there and give it my best shot. And part of that, of course, has been vulnerable and moving forward from the point of view of change, even at times if you hate that as a concept. So this counter intuitive strategies, certainly, from my point of view, definitely require patience, and I mentioned courage, but that can significantly enhance your personal reputation, online and offline, and of course, foster more positive brand perception. 

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So as we wrap up today's episode, remember that your response to criticism shapes your personal and business brand, stay composed, respond professionally and view criticism as a pathway to improvement. If you found this episode valuable, please rate us on your preferred podcast platform and connect with me on social media. If you require expertise in dealing with your digital branding, please email Patricia at image group.com.au. I want to thank you for joining me today, and until next time, embrace the opportunity for growth that criticism brings. Cheerio

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Jon Michail’s Personal Branding Masterclass Podcast is sponsored by Image Group International, a global team of practical, digitally savvy personal brand and image strategists based in Australia, committed to maximizing your impact, influence and authority in the business world. To learn more and apply for your personal coaching, seminars and group workshops, please visit imagegroup.com.au or call 1800 631 311.