5 Ways to Skillfully Handle Criticism With a Smile Instead of a Frown
"This work is sloppy and does not meet the needs of the company. You'll have to completely rework it." "Is this all you've gotten done for today? You're going to have to step up your pace." "Why didn't you follow the instructions I gave you? This is terrible work." "I liked your old hairstyle better." Criticism, no matter how delicately someone gives it to you, hurts. Being criticized makes us feel worthless, painfully vulnerable to our own negative thoughts and unsure of our abilities. Some inexperienced managers think criticizing their employees will incentivize them to work faster and harder but, of course, we know this tactic is the absolutely wrong way to motivate employees. Scientists speculate there is something instinctual, or innate, about our adverse reaction to even mild criticism. Just like the human body is hard-wired to instantly move into a "fight or flight" state when confronted by danger, our