We have all had criticism and it can be hard to take. You’ve written an article or launched a new product and someone tells you that you missed the mark. How do you respond?
Here are some great tips to help you handle criticism:
1. Listen.
It’s important to listen to negative feedback and to make sure the person giving the feedback knows you’re listening. Often, when people are upset, they just want to feel heard.
2. Ask questions.
If possible, ask questions so you can fully understand why they are giving you negative feedback. Then follow up with doing something about it, to make it right.
3. Say thank you.
Saying thank you is simple and yet very powerful. If someone is being negative in a mean way, then thanking them for their feedback gives you the moral high ground. If they really are trying to help you or are expressing a heartfelt opinion, then you should be grateful because at the very least they’ve taken the time and effort to engage with you.
4. Don’t take it personally.
This is easier said than done. You will inevitably encounter negative feedback and it’s important not to let it derail you.
5. Take time to cool off.
You’re best off not responding to negative feedback when you first hear it. If you allow yourself to cool down, you will be able to respond in a more calm and professional manner.
6. Use it as an opportunity to learn.
Use the negative criticism as a learning experience. Ask yourself why they gave the negative feedback and once you know the reason, you can make changes to do better in the future.
7. And then let it go.
Being able to let go of negative feedback is also important. Learn from the criticism, make needed changes, and move on.