A colleague asked me if there is something between us that she feels I’m ‘defensive’ to her. We talked about a few instances. For her, she feels she just asked a question or tried to help. For me, I already provided the info (did she read?) and would like team to work together to drive the course/ propose solutions to executives vs. waiting for direction. We may not agree with each other yet I appreciate she ‘told’ me because (1) I can’t change others but I shall be mindful of my own actions, (2) feedback points out areas to be aware and think about, (3) a candid conversation shows her trust and interest in me, much better than playing games or stab behind your back.