Do you know how to handle criticism? It’s not easy to take criticism; in fact, it’s arguably one of the most challenging things to do as a human being, given that our natural desire is to be recognized, and criticism is the opposite of that. Without taking risks, you can’t grow as an individual or company. One risk you might take is putting your ideas out into the world to get constructive feedback. While this type of feedback can be scary, it’s also very useful and can help you become a better version of yourself. Sometimes, people don’t like what you do or don’t agree with something you’ve done.
This type of criticism is natural, and you need to know how to handle it effectively so that it doesn’t bring you down. Whether it comes from friends, family, coworkers, or even strangers on the Internet, everyone has critics in their lives. It is how we respond to these critics that matter most. Here are simple ways to help you handle criticism better so you can grow as an individual or a business owner.
How To Handle Criticism: The 4 Best Ways To Do It
Don’t Take It Personally
If someone doesn’t like your work, it doesn’t mean they don’t like you. It is important to remember that critics aren’t attacking you. It’s not easy, of course, because it’s about you, but try to think about the criticism of you in a function, role, or job on an occasion rather than as you as a person.
It might help you to not take it personally. They’re just sharing their opinions. Of course, it’s not always easy to remember this, especially if it’s a friend or family member is giving you constructive criticism. If you take everything personally, it’ll be hard to grow as an individual or as a business owner. If you’re too afraid to ask for constructive feedback because you don’t want to hear other people’s opinions, you’ll never be able to improve or learn from your mistakes.
Second, we humans aren’t able to figure out what something means, so every piece of information we get will be filtered through our thoughts, feelings, points of view, etc. Knowing that we are not capable of not making an interpretation, you now have the choice to make it a positive interpretation or a negative interpretation.
Ask Questions
If you’re getting criticism, it can be a good opportunity to ask questions about what people don’t like about your work. Let’s say a friend who follows your blog writes you a message and tells you that she doesn’t like a particular post. Instead of getting defensive, ask her why? Where, when, and how did you discover it? Can I improve on that? When you ask questions, you allow yourself to grow and become a better version of yourself.
When you respond to criticism, don’t respond defensively. Instead, ask questions so that you can learn and grow as an individual or as a business owner. If you’re giving criticism, start by saying that you don’t mean to offend the person. Then, ask questions to help them improve.
Respond Only When Necessary
Sometimes, you can’t win an argument. There will be critics who are stubborn, and no matter what you say, they won’t change their minds. This is normal, but that doesn’t mean you have to engage with these people. If you’re being attacked for something you wrote or said, there’s no reason to respond and get into a heated argument.
Responding to every criticism will take up too much of your time and will probably make you feel more stressed. If you’re getting a wave of criticism, you can decide how much time you want to spend responding to it. There will probably be people who won’t agree with whatever you do. That’s unavoidable. You can decide how much time often you want to spend responding to those critics.
Leverage the feedback
It’s easy to get frustrated when you’re getting criticism because it feels like people are often trying to bring you down. Instead of getting caught up in the emotions of the situation and responding in a way that won’t help you, use the feedback to become a better version of yourself, which includes acceptance of criticism.
When you receive criticism, don’t get defensive. This shows that you care a lot about what the person who made the comment thinks. The second is that you feel bad about what that person thinks of you, and the third is that you don’t think you’re worth it, so you’ll try to show that person that you’re not. You don’t have to defend yourself because it’s just someone’s opinion. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.
Instead, try to understand where the criticism is coming from. If you pause and reflect before you react, you can figure out that constructive criticism can help you grow as an individual or as a business owner.
If you’re giving criticism, try to focus on the positive aspects of the situation. Even though it might be easy to focus on the things that someone could do better, try to end the conversation by focusing on what they’re doing right.
Constructive Criticism VS Destructive Criticism
Both positive and negative comments illuminate our shortcomings, errors, and opportunities for growth. In contrast, destructive criticism is scathing, insulting, and often mocking our shortcomings, while constructive criticism aims to build us up, make recommendations, and even propose solutions to problems.
How to handle constructive criticism? This is comfortable to ask because constructive criticism also needs handling in addition to harsh criticism.
- First, listen calmly and don’t overreact.
- Even if you don’t like it, remember it is for your betterment.
- Don’t take the criticism personally; the defect is either in your role or working process, not in yourself.
- Think positively about the person who gives constructive criticism.
- Thanks, him or her, in return, don’t question.
- Ask related questions and suggestions.
How To Handle Criticism At Work
There are many ways to handle stress and anxiety at work. You can easily handle criticism at work if you follow the steps below.
- First, learn how to control your reaction.
- Improve yourself to bring positive changes.
- In the case of constructive criticism, try to learn from your mistakes and don’t criticize yourself.
- Appreciate others, and don’t criticize others without reason.
- Instead of ego, show some humility.
My Verdict On How To Handle Criticism
Criticism is a normal part of life. Everyone will face criticism at some point. It is how we respond to this criticism that matters most. Don’t get defensive or take everything personally when you respond to criticism. Instead, use the feedback to become a better version of yourself. Criticism is inevitable. It comes from our friends, family, and even strangers on the Internet.
Learning how to respond to criticism is important because it will help you grow as a person or company. When you are faced with criticism, don’t take it personally. Ask questions, and only respond if necessary. With these tips in mind, you can learn how to respond to criticism so that it doesn’t hold you back from reaching your goals.
