5 Ways to Constructively Use Criticism in Your Career

When it comes to receiving criticism from management, it can be difficult to know how to respond in a way that is both constructive and professional. When people receive criticism, it can sometimes feel like a personal attack, but in the corporate world, criticism is a valuable management can use to help teams work more effectively and guide people to be more focused on corporate goals.

Here are some tips on how to handle criticism from your manager in a way that will help you improve and grow in your role:

1. Listen carefully and objectively. When you are being criticized, it can be easy to get defensive and start making excuses. Instead, try to listen carefully to what your manager is saying and take a step back to consider their perspective objectively. Not all managers communicate in the most eloquent ways, so it is important to filter out knee-jerk ego responds and really listen to the core message in the suggestions, criticism or assessments of your performance.
2. Ask clarifying questions. If you don’t understand something your manager is saying, it’s okay to ask for clarification. This will help you to better understand their perspective and what they are looking for from you. This can also help diffuse any emotional responses that your brain may be focusing on. Most of the time you are not being personally attacked, so clarifying the essence of the message can lead to learning, rather than reacting.

“If your manager is criticizing something you have done, it’s important to take responsibility for your actions. This doesn’t mean you have to accept all of the blame, but acknowledge your role in the situation.”

3. Take responsibility for your actions. If your manager is criticizing something you have done, it’s important to take responsibility for your actions. This doesn’t mean you have to accept all of the blame, but acknowledging your role in the situation can help to diffuse any tension and show that you are willing to learn and improve. Learning and improving yourself in a personal or professional sphere is not always an easy journey. Growth can be challenging, but that feeling of being challenged is a sign to pay attention to. If you go to the gym to strength train and lift nothing but light weights, you won’t see significant results. Instead, if you follow a wight training program that is tough and sometime painful, you will start to see results fairly quickly. This applied to the emotional “heavy lifting” that is sometimes needed for our own personal improvement.
4. Use the criticism as an opportunity to grow. Criticism can be difficult to hear, but it can also be a valuable learning opportunity. Instead of getting defensive, try to view the criticism as a chance to improve and grow in your role. Ask yourself what you can do differently in the future to avoid making the same mistake again. Being able to assess your future actions through the lens of the constructive criticism you receive, you are actually visualizing better outcomes for yourself.
5. Always be professional about it – even if you feel management has not been as tactful as they could have been when delivering the message. Thank your manager for their feedback. While it may not always be easy to hear, your manager’s criticism is ultimately meant to help you improve and succeed in your role. Be sure to thank them for their feedback and let them know that you appreciate their guidance.

Remember, receiving criticism from your manager can be challenging, but it’s important to handle it in a constructive and professional manner. By listening carefully, asking clarifying questions, taking responsibility for your actions, using the criticism as an opportunity to grow, and thanking your manager for their feedback,
you can turn criticism into a valuable learning experience.

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