5 Ways To Deal With Criticism At Work
Workplace Advice
By Kennedy Okoth
“I lost my previous Job at a prestigious company after a bitter exchange with my boss. What is the best way to handle criticism?” Inquires Henry Walela via email.
Criticism is a common phenomena at work and how one goes about it is key to his/ her success within an organization. However Common it might be, it is an experience no one wishes to encounter irrespective of it’s a necessity at times.
Therefore, learning how to handle criticism objectively and professionally is important.
Here are 5 Key ways of handling it
1. Pay Attention.
When your superior decides to criticize you, make sure you do not interrupt. Let him finish making sure you get all of the information that prompted the whole ordeal.
2. Stay calm.
During this process, it is vital that you stay calm and collected without losing your temper however bad the criticism might be. This will give you the emotional and mental space to figure out the best way to respond. On the other hand, being temperamental or defensive will probably make the situation worse and portray you as being volatile.
3. Make Sure You Understand The Criticism
The main purpose of a criticism is not to witch-hunt you, but rather to pinpoint a problem so as to find a progressive way forward. Therefore, make sure you confirm what you have heard to make sure you got all of the points and understand.
4. Privacy.
In some cases, the supervisors might get carried away and channel his/ her criticism directly to you without amidst your colleagues. This is not appropriate. If you find yourself in this situation, calmly request the person to continue the situation somewhere private.
5. Consider the Criticism.
Ultimately, the main purpose of criticism is to make you aware of the mistakes done so as to avert them in future. After this process, take time to reflect on the situation and determine which parts of the criticism were valid.
How one handles and conducts himself/ herself in the course of and after being criticized is the difference between a productive and non-productive employee.
