How to Respond to Criticism at Work

It’s easy to get defensive when receiving criticism at work, especially when it comes from someone who may not be the most compassionate or tactful with their words.

On the other hand, learning to respond to criticism in a productive manner can be a valuable skill that establishes a strong level of rapport and respect with other employees at your company.

In this article, we teach you how to identify workplace criticism and how to best respond to it.

1. 1. Keep Calm
      When receiving negative criticism, your defensive emotions are likely to kick in fast–anger, anxiety, humiliation, dismissiveness and inadequacy are just a few of the common emotions that you might feel when receiving criticism. It’s important to take a couple of deep breaths and remain calm so that you can really listen with an open mind to what your colleague, manager or boss is trying to tell you. Chances are the person giving you feedback is well-intentioned and has your best interest in mind.
   2. Get Clarification
      You don’t need to give a perfect response right away. Instead, listen intently and repeat the critic’s main points back to them to show you were actively listening.
      Oftentimes when the critic is ill-intentioned or their criticisms aren’t warranted, repeating their critiques back in your own words will shine a light on the nature of their criticisms. It’s important to be objective in your repetition and avoid sarcasm or exaggeration when clarifying their critiques.Keep in mind who’s making the critique–is it a colleague who’s respected in the company or someone who’s constantly criticizing others? This will help you in deciding whether to take the criticism as constructive or dismiss the criticism in a polite manner.
   3. Share Your Perspective
      Use empathetic language when sharing your perspective such as, “I hear you” or “I can see why you might think that” to show the person you’re speaking with that you respect their point of view and understand how they drew their conclusions. If you need more time to think about their criticisms or to develop an appropriate response, tell them you appreciate the feedback they’ve given you and that you’ll take some time to think about what they’ve said.
   4. Reflect and Take Time
      It’s important to be thoughtful and avoid getting defensive when responding to criticism. If possible, schedule a meeting with them at a later date so you can have a dispassionate conversation about the feedback they gave you.
   5. Develop Your Response
      If you find that their criticisms are valid, thank them for their honesty and feedback and tell them what you plan on doing to improve. Schedule regular bi-weekly or monthly meetings with them to go over your progress or to see if there’s more room for improvement. On the other hand, if you still think your colleague or boss’s criticism is unfair, have a rational conversation to share your perspective. Make sure to reiterate their criticisms to show you understand their perspective while making your points clear. Often, both parties won’t come to an agreement, and that’s ok. There are many ways to accomplish a single task, so don’t get bogged down in “right” or “wrong.”
   6. The Difference Between Criticism & Bullying
      It’s important to be able to identify the type of criticism you’re receiving from a colleague or boss. Oftentimes negative feedback can feel like you’re being unfairly criticized while the actual critic is well-intentioned–so what’s the difference-maker?
      • Constructive criticism should be directed towards your work, not you as a person.
      • Constructive criticism should be about something that’s in your control and part of your responsibilities.
      • Constructive criticism shows your colleagues care about you and want you to improve.
      • Constructive criticism is delivered tactfully. Good criticism is not negative and avoids screaming or yelling.

If you think you are being bullied by a colleague or boss you may need, to get a third party involved. Your HR department is an excellent resource for resolving issues between employees

Tolerating it will only make it get worse. If you have other colleagues who also feel like they’re getting bullied by the same person, visit your HR department together to find out if this issue can be resolved in a constructive manner.

Gracefully responding to criticism at work is one of the most important soft-skills you can learn. When receiving valid criticism you need to keep calm, clarify what the negative feedback you’re receiving is about, and take actionable steps to improve.

With these principles, you’ll find that constructive criticism is an opportunity to learn and grow.