How to Handle Criticism Like a Pro
8 Tips to Help
“Do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing, and you’ll never be criticised.” — Elbert Hubbard (in John North Willys)
You’re head down at your desk when your boss calls you in.
She wants a meeting. Your stomach pitches, your heart beats faster. You steel yourself for the onslaught. This is not a meeting to tell you how wonderful you are. It’s the OTHER kind of talk.
Criticism can come at you in a million different ways. It can be in formal packages like a work assessment, or a slow burn from your partner or parent, or just a throwaway line from a mean person you never liked anyway.
It trouble is, even when we know the criticism is unfair, even when we know we can learn from it, even when we know that people attacking us says more about them than us, it still stings.
It still screams THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU; YOU’RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. It still taps our into our insecurities and undermines our self-belief.
I’m over hearing criticism is good for us. It’s only good for us if it is kindly meant and well-delivered AND we are skilled enough to pick through the crap to find the gold nugget of truth.
