Managing Criticism

SIANO, K.C. M.
Two Types of Criticism
Constructive Criticism
- the process of offering valid
and well-reasoned opinions
about the work of others,
- usually involving both
positive and negative
comments, in a friendly
manner rather than an
oppositional one
Projected Criticism
- an emotional, negative
reaction to something
you’ve said or done
- It is simply a projection of a
person’s psyche
- It’s the result of envy,
insecurity, or anger
- It should always be ignored
Constructive Ways Leaders Can Handle Criticism
• When criticism strikes, never
take on a “woe’s me” attitude
• People find it difficult to
respect a leader who
becomes the victim Don’t Play
• Rather than play the victim, The Victim
own the criticism and convert
it into new opportunities
previously unseen
• When faced with criticism, step back
and assess the situation
• Be patient, don’t react impulsively.
• Adversity my make or break you,
but it primarily reveals you. Don’t React
• Leaders must practice
patience when faced with criticism
Impulsively
and show a high level of composure
and executive presence.
• Criticism comes and goes.
• As a leader, you must be mindful not to
get overly attached to the business and
the issues at hand.
• When you take criticism too personally, it
becomes more difficult to be objective
towards meeting the needs of the Don’t Take It
business and the people you lead.
• Leadership is not easy and handling Personally
criticism is an unwritten rule in the job
description.
• You should expect criticism and know
how to handle it.
• Criticism is another way of saying
“learning moments.”
• Though you can never be perfect when Turn Criticism
leading, you must be open-minded Into Opportunity
enough to course correct along the way.
• One of the most important qualities of
leadership is being a good listener.
• It can make you a more effective and
trustworthy leader if you handle it
constructively.
 A Manager’s Guide to Providing
Constructive Criticism in the Workplace
Avoid Surprises
• A meeting without notice can cause
employees to feel intimidated and
catch them off-guard when you
provide feedback.
• Schedule a meeting and explain
what you want to talk about.
• This will give the employee some
notice and time to prepare.
Keep It Private
• Don’t provide individual feedback
in a group setting.
• Giving constructive criticism in the
workplace should be done
privately
• Public and rushed displays of
feedback blur the line and can
lead to destructive criticism.
Be Specific
• Clear and specific feedback is
critical.
• Get to the point quickly to avoid
confusing the employee.
• Illustrate problematic behaviors
and actions so the employee has
a good idea of what you are
bringing up.
Don’t Make It Personal
• Focus on actions, not the person
• You should be focusing on what
the employee is doing and how to
improve, not the employee’s
personality.
Don’t Forget the Positive
• When it is relevant to your feedback, you should
include positive aspects of the employee’s
performance.
• By highlighting an employee’s strengths, you can
help the worker understand what he or she is doing
well while pointing out areas of improvement.
• Beware of including positive feedback for the sake
of keeping things positive.
Provide Ideas for Improvement
• Provide examples of the employee’s
behavior and how the person could have
handled the situation.
• It is crucial for the manager to be
prepared with concrete examples of how
the employee could have handled past
problems better
• as well as solutions for how the employee
can deal with similar situations in the
future.
Make It a Conversation
• If an employee is going to understand
what you have to say and how he or she
can improve, it needs to be a dialogue.
• The employee should be able to explain
his or her side of the story and ask
questions about how to improve.
• Sometimes you’ll learn something that will
help you tailor your feedback and advice
to the employee.