Leadership Freak Blog by Dan Rockwell Article
“Suggestions for taking criticism like a pro:
- Make it easy for your boss to criticize you. Most bosses don’t enjoy giving negative feedback. Welcome their insights. Assume they have positive intentions until proven otherwise.
- Gratitude is your first, planned response. “Thanks for saying that,” reflects confidence in yourself and respect for them.
- Avoid immediate push back. Pushing back, on the other hand, calls others to push back harder. It’s adversarial.
- Chill out. If you feel emotional, say, “This is hard for me to hear. Do you mind if a take some time to reflect? I’ll get back to you this afternoon.”
- Make few statements.
- Jot it down. Grab some paper and write it down in your own words. Writing is thinking. Show them and ask, “Do you think I understand what you’re saying?”
- Translate negative criticisms into positive behaviors. “I see you want me to _____ (fill in with observable actions).” Is that right?”
- Ask, “How will you know when I make improvements?”
- ???
An alternative: ….”
