Accepting Constructive Criticism

Criticism can be quite hard to accept sometimes. When your boss criticizes your work, you might find yourself taking it personally. However, constructive criticism is very important for career growth as it can open your eyes to a fault that you may have previously made, but have not noticed. Accepting constructive criticism is a step towards improving your productivity; it gives you the chance to avert future errors, which in return will help you become more proficient.

KEEP AN OPEN MIND   

The first step in accepting constructive criticism is keeping an open mind. You will not grow as an employee if you close off your mind to comments that criticize your work. We are all prone to make mistakes. Sometimes you may be unaware of the fact that you are making one, so you might need someone to bring it to your attention. Accept the fact that sometimes not everything you do at work is free of fault. Receiving constructive criticism is not a direct insult, nor is it undermining your ability as a  professional. Constructive criticism will help you get back on track when you deviate from an assigned task. Don’t let it trigger you or shake your confidence; let it strengthen your morale. Let it also be a chance for you to get back on the saddle and move forward, not backward.

LISTEN IN ORDER TO LEARN

Embrace constructive criticism as an opportunity to learn. We all learn from our mistakes. Imagine if we lived in a world where we all make mistakes, and we weren’t doing anything about them. The world would be the definition of chaos. Learning from your mistakes only inhibits any future errors that you may unconsciously make at the work place. Learning from constructive criticism allows you to improve your skills and meet the expectations others may have of you. However, make sure that the feedback you are getting is from a credible and experienced source such as your manager. Receiving criticism has to be accurate and not only for the purpose of criticizing, so make sure are you are listening and accepting criticism from an appropriate source.

TAKE ACTION

Now that you have  received your feedback, make sure you assess the situation. Start off by looking for solutions. For instance, you can ask the person giving you feedback to share their ideas on how you may tackle the issue.  Addressing an error you’ve made is a serious step you need to take in order to prevent yourself from making major errors in the future. Part of being an employee is being credible and trustworthy. Showing your will to take action means you are an employee who cares about their work efficiency. It also shows that you are dependable employee who listens to constructive criticism, accepts advice, and acts upon it.