Why workplace feedback should get personal, according to a Kellogg professor

Gina Fong, a consumer anthropologist and professor at the Kellogg School, is calling for a fresh approach to workplace feedback. She argues that the common advice to avoid taking feedback personally is misguided and instead suggests embracing it as a tool for stronger professional relationships.

Fong challenges the idea that feedback should remain detached and impersonal. In her view, this mindset leads to generic, ineffective critiques. Instead, she encourages supervisors and employees to treat each other as individuals, recognising the personal investment behind every piece of feedback.

She highlights that different roles and personalities react to feedback in distinct ways. Creative teams, for example, often struggle more with critiques than engineers or scientists, who are used to feedback as part of their workflow. Understanding these differences, she argues, is essential for making feedback more meaningful. To improve the process, Fong offers three key strategies. First, she recommends learning how each team member responds to feedback. Second, she advises normalising frequent, low-stakes feedback to reduce anxiety and build familiarity. Finally, she suggests finding a trusted colleague to act as a feedback coach—someone who invests in long-term growth through consistent, honest input. Fong believes that personalising feedback strengthens bonds between managers and their teams. By taking responsibility for their own development, employees can turn critiques into opportunities for real progress.

Fong’s approach shifts feedback from a formal obligation to a personal growth tool. Her methods focus on understanding individual reactions, increasing feedback frequency, and fostering supportive coaching relationships. The goal is to create a workplace where feedback feels more human—and far more effective.