Feedback: bad, or just negative?

Smart folks, like you and me, try to pay attention to whatever feedback we can get from our target audience.

The more high-quality feedback we can assimilate, the better positioned we'll be to make useful improvements.

Here are two completely made-up examples of feedback for a hypothetical membership sign-up form. Which one is the more useful?

Feedback 1:

I love it!

Feedback 2:

I hate it. There are too many questions on the form so it takes forever to fill out. And I don't understand what these two fields even mean.

Clearly the first one is nice to hear, but it lacks any useful detail.

The second one is no fun, but provides very specific, actionable information.

Here's the thing:

Try not to be bothered by negative feedback, and try not to be flattered by favorable feedback.

Good feedback is useful, actionable, and specific.

If you can get that, be glad.

Flattery, as they say, we'll get you nowhere. Even when you're on the receiving end.

All the best,
A.