What is the best way to address criticism from social impact stakeholders?

Active listening is the cornerstone of effective communication, especially when facing criticism from stakeholders. The initial reaction to criticism can often be defensive, but taking the time to truly listen can turn a potentially negative situation into an opportunity for improvement.Instead, demonstrate attentiveness and open-mindedness by asking clarifying questions. This doesn't mean you agree with the criticism; it simply shows that you're committed to understanding the issue fully. Acknowledging emotions is another important aspect. Criticism often comes with emotional undertones, and ignoring this can escalate issues. By acknowledging how the stakeholder feels, you’re showing empathy.

I want to share a little secret with you: Feedback is like an awesome present wrapped in a not-so-fancy package. It's where all the magic happens! You know that saying, "Hindsight is 20/20"? Well, it's like having a time-traveling crystal ball, but in the present! So, imagine feedback as this fantastic gift. When you unwrap it, you might find a transformative idea inside! It's not just about understanding why someone gave you feedback and what their intentions were, but also how you can use it to level up, adapt, and grow. Think of it as your secret sauce for improvement and innovation! #FeedbackIsMagic

I agree with the above about deep and active listening. I’d add a structured, non-violent dialogue in which you are interested in knowing your client’s needs and requests. You want to acknowledge the emotions that might be transpiring in the criticism and ask questions to understand the real need beneath, trying to find solutions that equally address their needs and maintain your integrity. Sometimes, all people need is to be seen in their frustration, so sometimes, the issue does not even need to be addressed when your client knows that you see them.

Criticism is an opportunity. An opportunity to learn, re-evaluate and consider different perspectives. Whether you are leading a social impact project or business, active listening with a willing and open heart is key. Based on the assumption you have your vision, values and key success milestones laid out, being willing to engage in dialogue is an opportunity to gain insights and put them into action.

Don't wait until after receiving the criticism to hold a dialogue with them to gauge their needs and concerns. Proactively reach out to the stakeholders now and then to find out how you can support them better.

When it comes to handling feedback, there is a really cool method called "LAST." It starts with Listening, then moving on to Appreciating—that's where the respect part really shines. Then we've got Solve and Thank. Respect is like the North Star in building relationships; it's not just a marker of professionalism but also a boost for your personal and professional growth journey. We should all consider ourselves advocates for our causes and humanity, in one way or another. And being an advocate means standing between your perspective and someone else's. That's where respect really shines. It's about showing your unwavering commitment to your cause while staying wide open to the possibilities and learning that come with it.

Before responding, take the time to establish a common language through meaningful conversations. This approach fosters understanding and constructive dialogue. Be patient and active find the common language to have meaningful conversations.

It’s important to wait to respond until after the person/people who are talking verify that you have understood them accurately. Once they have done that, ask if they are open in that moment to hearing your perspective. If they are, don’t justify yourself. Start by authentically acknowledging that you appreciate how they feel based on the perspective they have. Then offer information you have that their might not be aware of, with the intention of filling in a more complete picture that has multiple perspectives. Don’t make them wrong or you right. Just humbly and non-defensively add pieces that might be missing from the picture.

If, and only if, they are open to hearing your perspective, maintain a respectful tone in your responses, acknowledging the validity of their concerns. Even if you disagree, a respectful and empathetic approach will help maintain a positive conversation and potentially lead to a productive outcome. Preferably the outcome would be fitting for all parties, but not always. This is a message that should be conveyed as well.

Respond Respectfully: Navigating criticism professionally is vital. Thank stakeholders genuinely, avoiding emotional or personal reactions. Communicate clearly, devoid of jargon, supporting statements with facts. Admit limitations with humility, signaling a willingness to evolve and learn. A respectful response not only safeguards credibility but also seeds a collaborative relationship with stakeholders, fostering an environment ripe for co-created solutions and sustained partnerships. Ensure every interaction is a step towards constructive dialogue and shared progress in your social impact journey. And in the end, good intentions and even great execution do not guarantee intended outcomes. If you messed up, own it. Demonstrate humility.

If you had an unintentional part in the problem being discussed, say what that was along with the unintended negative impact that had. Then say what you’ll do to repair your unintended part to the extent that repair is possible. Lastly, say what you’ll do differently in future similar situations based on what you learned from them about the current situation. Say all of this without self-criticism or blaming others. This is about facilitating growth not being swallowed by shame.

"Objectively" is key. Assess the criticism objectively, looking at the facts and considering how it aligns with your organization's mission and goals. This ensures that your response is rooted in a rational assessment. You can and should be kind but you must take into consideration first and foremost goals and objectives of the company or organization. That message needs to be explained and strategies to improve procedures may need to be implemented.

Evaluating critiques requires a methodical approach: Analyze criticism's nature, pinpointing core issues without hastily jumping to conclusions. Demonstrate your curiosity! Understand and distinguish between surface symptoms and root causes. Be strategic in pivoting towards mutual positives without obfuscating issues. Rigorously research and validate criticisms, comparing your practices with industry benchmarks as well as your mission and values. Courageously embrace diverse perspectives, valuing both qualitative and quantitative data, and acknowledging when recalibration is necessary. With humility, own mistakes, demonstrating a commitment to perpetual learning, nurturing a healthy, collaborative stakeholder relations.

I find it really beneficial to get into a calm, homeostasis-like state of mind before genuinely considering advice. Objectivity is relative too - and when we are talking about social impact we are delving into the subjective anyway (what is the 'best' way to help the world?) It's okay to have your own priorities that don't align with a stakeholders. But it's important for you to be clear on that. When we take a clear stand, we gain admiration for it, even if it's not what people might want themselves.

This is where I probably fail the most. Transparent and clear communication is essential. Explain the actions, intentions, and any steps taken to address any criticism. Clear communication helps in building credibility and understanding. If you are like me, you may choose the wrong words or phrases to convey the message. It may be better to have a dedicated person to have the conversation so the wrong message is not put forth as the official statement or declaration.

Open communication is pivotal: Ever heard the phrase "To assume makes an Ass of U and ME (Ass-U-Me)?" Take the time to thoughtfully and deeply understand not only the issues, but your audience as well. Avoid assumptions, ensuring decisions are data-informed, considering both content and context. Gratefully acknowledge feedback, maintaining transparency about processes and challenges, even embracing vulnerability. Prioritize timely responses, specifying what will be addressed and within which timeframes. Seek to understand before seeking to be understood. Establish clear-intent forums for stakeholder voice, distinguishing between seeking input and sharing decision-making to avoid misaligned expectations.

Short, clear sentences. People don't need corporate-ese. An unclear, confusing non-answer can do more harm than good. Instead, be direct e.g. thank you for taking the time to speak with us, we really appreciated it. We had not previously considered x and we are modifying objective y. We understand the key point z, however on reflection our key priority is to do xz, andn this is critical for the success of this. So for right now, we will be continuing with this part of the work as the first priority.

Giving space for reflective check-ins really helps make this a systemised occurance rather than one every once in the blue moon. Wash-ups and weekly reflections can be really powerful. But remember - it needs to be genuinely open. Just like with stakeholders, if you are not there to genuinely take critique or reflect, these become performative, and they can do more harm than good. Instead, see how you can really help people share their honest opinions, whilst also being open to seeing how you can do things differently - particualrly if you are leading the project in question

Education should be the cornerstone to all improvement. Embrace criticism as an opportunity for growth. Continuously learn from feedback, both positive and negative. Sometimes learning more about what not to do is more important than what to do. Use this to improve your social initiatives, demonstrating your commitment to positive change. Its one step at a time. Those steps need to be meaningful not just blanket initiatives. They also must align with the companies objectives and mission.

John Boogaert shared an impactful Inuit metaphor at a conference long ago call "Carving the Seal". He spoke of weaving continuous learning into culture through carving and storytelling, embedding skills, history, and values generationally. Similarly, in workforce and leadership, continuous learning becomes crucial. The adoption of perpetual curiosity, learning, and adaptability ensures not just individual, but organizational growth amidst evolving markets and technologies. By embedding learning into daily operations and promoting exploration, leaders sustain organizational relevance and vitality in the face of dynamic business landscapes. And in doing so with intent, you also evolve and perpetuate your mission, values & culture with intent.

Even if you don't necessarily agree with the criticism, there's usually some truth to it. That's why it's important to value and acknowledge all types of feedback. This helps keep the feedback loop open and keeps stakeholders engaged in current projects and future collaboration opportunities. After thinking through what the truth in the feedback may be, you could write or call the individual and say something like, 'We might have different ways of reaching our XYZ goal, but I genuinely appreciate us working together towards it. Thanks for being part of the team/project.' When you invest time and effort in expressing gratitude for others' contributions (even critical ones), it can really help cultivate a culture of appreciation.

If you keep the focus on Kai Zen (continuous improvement) by honoring the deep concerns and high intentions, instead of reacting to people’s surface positions or premature solutions, if you add details and perspectives help create a more complete picture, if you are transparently accountable for your unintended role and impacts, if you repair those to the extent that’s possible, if you describe specifically how you’ll handle future situations more effectively based on what was illuminated in the current conversation, and if you say what will actually be done institutionally to improve best practices, the current issue can be transformed into a massive growth gift for all that enhances future engagement, collaboration and productivity.

Create a coalition. To respect and honor all feedback to come to the most informed, well-rounded, and unbiased solution bring people "under the tent." What this means is creating an opportunity for key representatives to be ongoing contributors and own part of the solution. This could occur in the form of an advisory committee that is assembled of key stakeholder groups that starts with an environmental scan and collection of input, a draft report back on proposed approaches based on feedback, and a regularly scheduled check-in to review progress or any adjustments that are required. Sequence and timing would need customization based on industry-specific influences and stakeholders would better understand and possibly become advocates.

How we structure the forum where the feedback is occurring is vital. For instance, the same piece of criticism will feel different depending on whether we're hearing it during a community meeting where people are making fiery statements into the public record, an unexpected encounter on the street with a friend, or a faciliated discussion where people are imagining the type of community they want. In addition, giving people time to reflect, provide more context, and learn from each other can affect the quality of the criticism we receive. As a result, we need to pay attention to the forums we are engaging, especially if the situation is charged or we really want to make sure we're hearing all the voices we need to hear.