subject: Dealing with Criticism at Work [print this page] Dealing with Criticism at Work Dealing with Criticism at Work
A good professional reputation is difficult to build; it takes years, a lot of hard work, and sadly, a lot of politicking. The sad part is that as with all things, it is far easier to destroy than to build. A bit of criticism from a superior, a colleague or even a subordinate, said to or in front of the wrong person or people, can very quickly destroy what takes so much time and effort to build up. Criticism is not something you can just ignore; you have to act on it one way or another lest it ruin your career.
If you are to get past criticism, whether or not it is justified, the two most important things you need are self-respect, and integrity. When the criticism, is unjust or even untrue, you need to have the self-respect to stand up for yourself, and to not just apologize and own the problem for the sake of peace. On the other hand, when the criticism is accurate and justified, you also need to be big enough to own it. The correct response to criticism will win back respect every time.
You also need to know how to pick you shots and to choose your venue for airing your side carefully. While it's true that you can't let criticism go unanswered for very long, you need to carefully pick the time and the audience when you do respond to it. Each situation is unique, and people, temperaments and the gravity and nature of the criticism will all play a part in choosing the best response.
As with so many aspects of life in the corporate world, the ability to establish good relationships with people is essential to surviving to criticism with one's reputation intact. If you have good working relationships with the people around you, you should be able to move past any criticism provided you respond to it correctly.
