Ask A Mentor: How Can I Handle Unproductive Feedback?, Published in Law360

In an article published on February 18 in the Law360, Ask A Mentor series, Segal McCambridge Shareholder Maggie E. Potter discusses how young legal professionals can effectively respond to vague or curt feedback while demonstrating their willingness to learn and grow. She provides practical approaches on how to push back and clarify expectations to maintain productive relationships with supervisors.  

"Pushing back is about taking ownership of your growth," Potter explains. "When you ask for clarity, you signal that you care about getting it right and that you're willing to put in the work, but you need the right information to do so."    

Potter outlines key response strategies when receiving unclear feedback, including offering your interpretation and requesting confirmation, or requesting a brief call or in-person chat to run through unanswered questions. She also provides proactive steps to mitigate unproductive feedback, such as completing work early to have buffer time to redo work if needed.  

"You can be open to criticism and still ask for the clarity you need to improve," Potter notes. "In fact, doing both is what separates professionals who plateau from those who continue to grow throughout their careers."    

Read the story in full, click here (subscriber-based).