Feedback bias

Feedback bias is defined as 'the natural tendency to act on feedback,’ no matter how ill-advised, simply because you heard it.

Feedback bias is one reason why seemingly great startups can collapse overnight, and how otherwise smart and capable individuals can take a turn for the worse.

Because sometimes feedback is a gift (and so we should listen to it.)

And sometimes—more often than not—feedback hurts more than it helps. It's often not supported by evidence (or a large-enough consensus), and if you listen to all or most of it, it can ruin you or your service.

Learning to discern between accurate and constructive criticism and bad and biased feedback is how we learn to make smart judgements about what really needs changing and what doesn't.

Of course, if you assume everything you hear is always the former, or the latter, you'll never learn to tell the difference.