How you handle criticism says a lot about your leadership qualities. Remaining calm while listing to criticism from others and taking the time to evaluate whether the criticism is valid is a vital skill. Here’s a roadmap to effectively managing criticism in a business setting.
Listen. Before you get defensive and tune out, listen. Truly listen. Put yourself in the shoes of the person trying to communicate with you and try to see what they are saying from their perspective. Even if you don’t like the person or don’t think they have valid opinions, it’s important to listen.
Is it true? Think about whether the person criticizing you has a point that you may be missing. It can help to step away from the situation to conduct your own self-evaluation. The criticism may not be valid, but make sure you are spending enough time evaluating whether it is or it isn’t.
Don’t attack. It’s so easy to disregard criticism or discredit the person who provided it. Again, take the time to evaluate the criticism. Never attack the person providing it and thank them for communicating with you.
Use it for good. Take the feedback you received and, if it’s valid, use it. (Make sure to thank the person who provided the information that was helpful to you.)