WHITEPAPER
Power skills: the secret to unlocking talent and transforming your business
November 16, 2016
Table of contents
Most people tend to be uncomfortable when receiving criticism that highlights their mistakes or points out areas for improvement. We often resort to defensive postures, criticizing the messenger and their approach, evoiding responsibility, and shifting blaming among other things.
These reactions typically stem from a lack of self-awareness on the part of the recipient. This attitude hinders personal growth and improvement, as it prevents us from acknowledging our blind spots.
But how can we harness criticism for personal growth? In this article, we explore key strategies for receiving feedback positively and using it for professional and personal development.
Negatively receiving criticism results in two unfavorable outcomes:
This affects both the giver and receiver of feedback. The giver’s intention, often constructive and positive, fails to achieve its goal. Meanwhile, the recipient experiences negative emotions like anger (perhaps due to offense taken), sadness (for not measuring up), and fear (fearing a lack of value or questioning of their professionalism or integrity).
As a result, the relationship with the giver can deteriorate, leading to arguments, conflicts, distance, or even rumors.
For this reason, it’s essential to receive criticism impartially, regardless of the giver’s approach, extracting valuable insights and turing them into something positive.
Embracing criticism is crucial for demonstrating professionalism, respect, and enhancing relationships with leaders and colleagues. To achieve this, practicing active listening is key.
Active listening enables individuals to analyze criticism, determining its validity and potential for improvement. This requires cognitive and emotional effort, empathizing with the giver and comprehending the critique thoroughly.
These are the advantages of actively listening to criticism and understanding it:
So, how can you learn to receive criticism well and take advantage of these opportunities?
Having understood how to receive and embrace criticism, it’s time to instill this approach within your team. Establishing a feedback culture where criticism is viewed as an opportunity for improvement, not an unwarranted attack, is essential.
Achieve this by:
Does your team act in line with the behaviors above? If so, it’s likely they have a high level of self-awareness. If it’s something they need to work on, isEazy Skills offers a comprehensive catalog of courses on soft and digital skills to encourage professional growth.
With isEazy Skills, you can enhance your skills and competencies, as well as those of each person on your team. Achieving this will exponentially boost your personal and professional capabilities, solidify positive relationships, and reinforce your team’s talents.
Reacting negatively to criticism at work can lead to two significant outcomes. First, it brings an emotional toll on both the person giving feedback and the recipient. The feedback provider might feel frustrated if their constructive input isn’t well-received, while the recipient could experience emotions like anger, sadness, or anxiety, impacting their well-being and performance. Secondly, there’s a relational toll, potentially leading to strained relationships, conflicts, or even distancing, which can disrupt team dynamics and the overall work environment.
Active listening is key to effectively understanding and analyzing feedback. It involves pausing to assess the criticism’s validity and its potential to improve personal or professional conduct. This practice aids in maintaining calmness, steering clear of defensive reactions, and considering various viewpoints, ultimately fostering personal growth and better workplace relationships. Active listening also encourages thoughtful and constructive responses rather than impulsive ones.
Embracing criticism constructively brings several advantages. It promotes personal and professional development by offering learning and improvement opportunities. It also enables gaining valuable insights, strengthening relationships, and building team trust. Furthermore, it stimulates innovation and creativity by addressing issues from multiple perspectives, enhances emotional resilience, and continuously improves products, services, or skills, helping individuals and teams achieve their full potential.
To handle criticism constructively, it’s vital to maintain a positive outlook, express gratitude for the feedback, and avoid taking it personally. Stay composed, thoroughly evaluate the feedback before responding, and consider that the criticism is meant to be constructive, even if not always delivered perfectly. Focus on extracting the core message, acknowledging mistakes, and seeking improvement suggestions. Avoid defensive or confrontational attitudes and use the feedback for personal and team development.
To cultivate a feedback-friendly culture within a team, foster open and transparent communication, and encourage continuous learning and improvement. Reinforce team members’ skills and create an environment of trust and respect for diverse opinions. Implement strategies for both formal and informal communication and celebrate achievements alongside opportunities to reflect on mistakes.t.
Tools like isEazy Skills are valuable for enhancing how criticism is received and managed in the workplace. They provide courses and resources for developing both soft and digital skills, including methods for giving and receiving constructive feedback. Leveraging these tools can enhance competencies related to self-criticism, effective communication, and professional development, transforming feedback into opportunities for personal growth and strengthening workplace relationships.
WHITEPAPER
Design an onboarding plan that wins over new talent
Learn how to create a strong, effective onboarding program that improves retention and employer branding.
Download whitepaper