5 Tips on How to Handle Criticism

I believe at some point in your life you will be criticized either in your professional or personal life. Sometimes it will be very difficult to accept but it depends on your reactions. We have to deal with criticism positively as it is an important skill in life as nobody likes to be criticized but it is fact of life and to be able to respond to criticism with honesty and goodness is an important skill in life.

There are two types of criticism constructive and destructive we won’t go too much into these but just to give you a view on the difference between the two to allow you to identify and respond accordingly. Where constructive criticism offers thoughtful feedback and can help us to improve ourselves, whereas destructive criticism involves accusing people and pointing out their faults without suggestion for improvements and making them feel guilty!

We all have to take criticism positively as if it is constructive as we all make mistakes all the time and it is part of human nature. We have plenty of opportunity to learn and improve from our mistakes.

Following are some helpful tips to handle criticism:

• Respond not React: Be respectful no matter what and thank the person who provide feedback and if it is useful. Think the nature of criticism and respond. A simple smile makes you the bigger person.
• Don’t take it personally and thank the person for being honest: Most of us take things personally when we criticized and that is where we are doing mistake and increase our stress level. Don’t take things personally and be professional while dealing with it!
• Stop making excuses: This is the best way to deal with criticism. You know that nobody is perfect! So in short if you think you are perfect then you are nobody! You have to keep analyzing yourself and if you are not doing it or you are not learning from your mistakes then you are doing nothing. When someone has provided feedback then you don’t have to make excuses, don’t be defensive! Try to address that feedback and work on it.
• Focus on road, not the wall: When speaking about destructive criticism, negativity from other people is like wall and if you just focus on it then you will run right into it and ended up in self-doubt so focus on road to drive safely and reach to your destination.
• Focus on the situation, not the person: sometime we react on criticism based on our past experience with person which is totally wrong. You have to detach the situation from the person and focus on the situation. You have to give comment on the issue not the person. Remember that you will never be able to please everyone’s idea of what is right so focus on pleasing yourself!

So in general use negative feedback and make your life more positive. Criticism is an opportunity to transform something negative to something positive.