How to deal with criticism.
By Renee Goyeneche—
In the professional world, cooperation is often the norm, which means we're subject to ongoing evaluations of our work. Whether it is feedback from supervisors, colleagues, or clients, we receive near-constant feedback on the accuracy and effectiveness of our efforts. A positive commentary can serve as an excellent measure of professional progress, supports a sense of accomplishment, and makes us feel valued and inspired to perform at a high level.
However, there's also an unpleasant side to feedback: criticism. Receiving an unfavorable response to our work can be challenging because it can feel like a personal attack on our skills and expertise, and when reputation and career progression are at stake, negative feedback can shake our confidence.
However, it is important to note not all criticism is intended to tear us down. Constructive criticism can help build us up, especially at the professional level, and it is a normal part of professional development.
It can help identify areas we need to improve when provided in a respectful and supportive manner, and how you respond to it can actually enhance your professional standing.
If you can demonstrate your ability to take feedback, learn from mistakes, and improve your work without taking it personally, you can seize an opportunity for growth.
Here are some tips for learning to take constructive criticism gracefully:
- Stay Calm. When receiving criticism, it's essential to remain composed. While feeling defensive is a natural response to feeling criticized or attacked, avoid having a knee-jerk reaction: it can damage professional communication and relationships. Instead, try staying quiet and listening carefully to the other person's feedback. This will allow you to collect your thoughts and respond intentionally, leading to a more productive exchange of ideas.
- Avoid making excuses. When you make a mistake, take ownership by admitting fault and accepting responsibility. Don't downplay the impact of your error or make excuses for it; be honest about what happened and why it happened. If possible, work to provide a solution, and consider what you can do differently in the future for a more successful outcome. Demonstrating accountability and a commitment to growth and improvement builds trust and respect in professional relationships.
- Separate the message from the messenger. Focus on the content of the message rather than the person delivering it. This can be especially difficult if your professional approach does not align with someone else's, but it's important to evaluate feedback on its merits, regardless of who delivers it. Is there truth to the criticism? Can you learn something from it? In a professional setting, the goal should be to achieve the best outcome for the company or project, not to prove that your idea or method is the best.
- Ask for clarification. Make sure you fully understand the intent of someone's feedback to avoid misunderstandings. Once you've listened carefully, reflect the message back to them, summarizing what you've heard in your own words and then asking for confirmation. You can also use open-ended questions to encourage the person to elaborate and provide more detail. For example, try asking questions like "Can you explain what you mean by that?" or "Could you give me an example of what you're talking about?" to better understand the criticism.
- Take action on feedback: Use constructive criticism as an opportunity to take action and improve your performance. If you receive feedback that suggests your recent proposal might have been stronger with better organization and more content, consider exploring alternative ways to present data for your next project. Perhaps the addition of visual elements would make the information more easily consumable. Once you've created the new structure, reach out to the person who provided feedback, tell them you've acted on their suggestions, and request they review your latest work before you present it to the team. They may have additional guidance on improving this project for greater impact.
Entertaining and acting upon feedback promotes growth and provides professional credibility in several ways. It demonstrates that you are willing to listen to others and value their perspective, which helps build stronger relationships. It also opens the door to learning new things, refining your skillset, and ultimately becoming more competent and effective in your work. These things all speak to integrity and help shape your professional reputation.
One final note: while responding to workplace criticism professionally is critical, it's equally important to set boundaries and communicate when feedback is not courteous or helpful. You have the right to reject unhelpful or disrespectful feedback, because you are ultimately responsible for your own professional reputation. Use your best judgment to determine which feedback is helpful and relevant to your job duties.
Renee Goyeneche: I am a writer and research editor focusing on information that benefits women, children, and families. Find me on Twitter.
