How To Handle Criticism at Work

You dread your annual review. You’ve made a few mistakes this year already, and your boss is bound to mention them. How can you make the most of your boss’s constructive criticism during the meeting? By understanding how to respond to criticism and why healthy input in the workplace is necessary, you’ll be ready to make the most of any professional feedback.????

Imagine the following scenario: You’ve been in your position for a few months and are enjoying your work. You did realize the other day that you may have sent the wrong forms to a couple of clients but quickly resolved the issue.?

However, the next day, you receive an email from your manager asking you to make sure to adhere to the company’s policy to adhere to confidentiality by not sending out incorrect forms.?

You may have several thoughts. Should you have told your manager in the first place of your mistake? Is she mad, and is your job on the line? Should you just apologize — or say more??

Maybe this hasn’t been your exact situation. But you’ve probably had something similar happen in the workplace when it comes to criticism.

Regardless of the emotions it stirs and the uneasiness it may cause us, constructive criticism is essential in the workplace. It helps workplaces build better cultures, helps employees stay motivated and helps managers better understand the goals of their employees.?

“Feedback allows us to learn the styles of our managers and other professionals and allows us more perspective,” said Kristen Zavo, executive coach and best-selling author of "Job Joy." “It allows us to understand the expectations of the people we're working with and for — and just as important, it teaches us empathy. It shows us how we want to receive feedback, and therefore, in the future when we're in a place to give it we can do so in an effective and empathetic way.”?

To successfully manage criticism, it’s important to understand criticism’s two personalities in the workplace: constructive and destructive.?

Constructive Versus Destructive Criticism?

“Professional criticism is constructive feedback,” said Teegan Bartos, 2022 Top Job Search Expert to Follow on LinkedIn, career coach and resume writer. “This professional criticism is feedback given for you to get an outside perspective on areas of opportunities or areas of growth.”

While Bartos suggests that not all feedback in the workplace is constructive and can sometimes take a destructive form, constructive feedback is a positive thing meant to help you succeed professionally.???

In this same vein, Phil Davis, recruiting director and career coach, emphasizes that constructive feedback is, above all, collaborative. He says an effective manager giving feedback to employees will offer ways to help, ask questions about how the employee is doing and aid in any way possible to facilitate that person’s growth.?

“It's all about the coaching, and you have to coach your people first as a leader,” said Davis. “And when you think about constructive criticism or constructive feedback — when you're constructing something, you're building,” said Davis. “You’re building on a process together. An employee is less likely to take the feedback personally if you’re in this and searching for solutions together.”?

While it may come as no surprise that people in the workplace respond to constructive criticism, The New York Times reveals that the psychology of criticism has been studied extensively. In particular, Daniel Ilgen, a psychologist at Michigan State University, discovered that people respond well to criticisms that are specific, prompt and delivered in a considerate manner — also known as “frugal with praise.”?

On understanding whether the feedback you just received is destructive constructive or not, Bartos similarly recommends taking time to analyze the feedback you received before jumping to conclusions.?

“Gaslighting is a very common form of unhealthy criticism, and it can be done methodically and in ways that other people don't necessarily see,” said Bartos. “So, if you take time to process the feedback, think about it and ways to improve and whatnot, you can tell the difference between what is genuine versus someone gaslighting you. Are they giving you opportunities to collaborate in the growth process? Were they trying to be helpful — or was the feedback simply typically meant to tear you down?”?

Zavo adds that the way in which the feedback is delivered is also an indicator as to whether it is constructive or not. For example, if a person delivers the message in a condescending or insensitive way as to attack your character versus trying to correct the action in a neutral manner, that’s destructive.

How To Respond To Criticism

Work is personal. Naturally, when you get feedback on your performance, your emotions could begin to stir.?

When you feel this happening, Zavo recommends you not try to handle everything in one conversation but rather thank your manager for the feedback and take time to process what they said — and then get back to them.?

“It is okay to step away if you're feeling the emotions,” said Zavo. “Feedback can be a lot to take in. Ask if it’s okay to take some time to think things over and arrange a time to meet later. That way — whether you’re near tears or rage — you will have had time to cool off and enter the meeting with a level head, without undermining your professional success by breaking down in a meeting.”

Bartos furthers that once you let your guard down and begin to take professional criticism and use it as your leverage to grow, you’ll have the power to continually reach new challenges and “completely change the way you function at work.”

Why Constructive Feedback Is Necessary???

If you have weekly or biweekly check-ins with your manager, there’s a reason for them. As well as the quarterly or annual reviews. These are benchmarks to gauge your success and give you and your manager the dialogue needed to discuss how you can improve and reach your career goals within the company. There are most always deficits, and those will be addressed in a caring, positive way if the criticism is constructive. This will ignite in you the desire to continue to do your best work and reach the goals you both set.?

The value of positive feedback is also indicated in a recent Officevibe study which revealed that the modern workforce calls for frequent, forward-looking feedback from managers to employees based on the following:??

• Four out of 10 workers are actively disengaged when they get little or no feedback.
• Eight-two percent of employees appreciate positive and negative feedback.
• Forty-three percent of highly engaged employees receive feedback at least once a week, as opposed to 18% of low engagement employees.

It is simply human nature to want to know how to improve, what you might be doing wrong and how to thrive in a position you want to grow in. This is what makes criticism as a practice necessary.?

The New York Times reports that criticism — along with praise — is vital for managers to master, in order to improve deficiencies within the workplace and make those they manage aware that good work is valued.

''It's essential to good management to let people know when they are doing well and when they are not,'' Dr. Robert Baron told The New York Times. ''You can't expect people to improve without that information. And as helpful as praise for a job well done is a good critique.''

Ultimately, Zavo stresses that constructive criticism is largely about perception (we can’t grow by only measuring against our own perception of ourselves) and is a natural and necessary part of life — particularly when it comes to career growth.

“We're not going to come out of the gate with perfection in anything,” said Zavo. “Feedback keeps us in check. It helps us get an honest check-in, from the outside, on the quality of our work and if our communication and presence is being received the way we think it is. It helps us understand if we are learning the necessary skills for our job — or if we should be doing something different to be more effective and efficient. This type of constructive criticism feedback is necessary for learning and growth.”?

Top Takeaways

How To Handle Criticism at Work

• Professional criticism is constructive feedback.
• Constructive feedback is, above all, collaborative.?
• People respond well to criticisms that are specific, prompt and delivered in a considerate manner.
• “Gaslighting is a very common form of unhealthy criticism, and it can be done methodically and in ways that other people don't necessarily see.”
• If a person delivers feedback in a condescending or insensitive way to attack your character versus trying to correct the action in a neutral manner, it’s destructive.
• “It is okay to step away if you're feeling the emotions. … take some time to think things over, and arrange a time to meet later.”
• Constructive criticism is largely about perception and is a natural and necessary part of life — particularly when it comes to career growth.