Criticism

“There is only one way to avoid criticism: Do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.”  ~ Aristotle 

It seems like this is a pretty famous quote that people like to use in the workplace. First of all, can we “avoid” criticism? In my opinion, NO! We can’t avoid criticism whether at work or in our personal life. We can’t avoid it, but we can, and should, deal with it. 

Criticism can either be negative or positive. In a workplace, negative criticism is hurtful; on the contrary, positive criticism provides guidance to the right path, and it’s so much easier to accept. It's what allows was to learn, to develop, to grow as a person. 

When I was growing up, I received quite a bit of criticism regarding my appearance, my personality, my opinion and my problem-solving skills. With all these so called “disapproval comments or judgments”, I certainly can’t just sit there and do nothing. The way I deal with it is I think through it, I filter it, and then I analyze it. 

The results are: Perhaps, people are right about my personality of being too aggressive and judgmental. Is it good or bad? If it’s good, what kind of benefits would I and others gain? But, if it’s bad to be aggressive and judgmental, what harm would it cause to me and others? Usually, I spend more time on the analyzing stage; so, I can decide whether or not I want to accept the criticism. 

Frankly, dealing with criticism appeals to our emotional side. Ultimately, if I believe the criticism would help me grow, I accept it with appreciation. However, if the criticism is based on the jealousy, I just put a smile on my face, toss it behind my head and move on. 

I don’t want to “be nothing” and that’s why I am doing and saying something that reflects the criticism I received. For example, I was once criticized for being a very pushy person with a high temper. In my own defense, I was being pushy with high temper in the meeting with the HR. The fact is I had to work with people with no sense of urgency, and the “no sense of urgency” has caused a domino effect mistakes that required a tremendous amount of energy and time to correct. And because of these mistakes are repeated and people don’t even bother to listen or follow the corrective action, I lost my patience. When I lost my patience, I raised my voice. 

In conclusion, we don’t want to avoid criticism but face it and deal with it. Meanwhile, we have to know ourselves better and understand what position we are at. Criticism sometimes helps us grow and know ourselves better. Maybe it can even help us deal better on some occasions. But, it could also give us a wound that will never heal.