Extract the Signal

Not all feedback is well-delivered. Some is vague, emotional, or even unfair. Your job is not to judge the packaging but to extract the signal. Ask yourself three questions:

• What kernel of truth is here? Even biased feedback usually contains something real
• What pattern does this connect to? If you have heard it before, the signal is strong
• What behavior triggered this? The behavior is the actionable piece

Someone saying "You're not a team player" is vague. But dig a little and you might find you consistently skip team meetings — that is the real signal hiding inside clumsy words.