Teaching your staff to receive criticism is the key to maintaining a positive and productive workforce.

BY COREY WEINER, CEO, JUN GROUP

for INC.

Photo: Getty Images

We give and receive criticism every day. Some constructive, some not so much.

It might be notes on a slide you’ve created, feedback on the presentation you gave, or even a comment about your Zoom background (“looks like someone hasn’t cleaned up in a while”).

The act of receiving criticism is vulnerable, awkward, and uncomfortable. For these reasons, many people tend to get defensive or combative. As CEO of a growing company, I view handling criticism as one of the most important skills to foster productive working relationships.

Here are a few strategies your staff can use to master the art of receiving criticism.

1. Hear the person out.

One of the simplest ways to effectively receive criticism is to listen actively. Our first instinct when we hear criticism is to immediately begin explaining and defending ourselves, but doing so actually hurts your case and shows you’re not listening to the feedback.

Rather than respond quickly with an explanation, “I did it that way only because you had originally emailed me that …,” listen intently while your co-worker gets through all their feedback. Then, make it clear that you have heard their criticisms.

For example, consider responding by saying, “I understand you’re upset with the way the final product turned out, specifically the art design on slides 5 through 8.” Don’t worry about sounding redundant; the truth is, everyone wants proof that their criticisms are being heard and acknowledged. Only opt for explaining yourself if there is a severe misunderstanding. Otherwise, 90 percent of explanations sound like excuses.

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