5 Steps To Taking Criticism

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By Jessica, November 23, 2008 10:03 pm

It is important to recognize that criticism can be beneficial. In the words of John C. Maxwell Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know “You cant’ grow if you don’t know what you don’t know”. Criticism, when given with good intentions, provides ideas for ways to improve and grow.

Receiving criticism is as much an art as giving it is. It is an art that takes time to master, but if you lack the ability to properly handle criticism it will not only eat away at your mentality and make you easily upset, but it will also create this ‘zone’ that you cannot function in. There is a girl I went to college with who quit her job three weeks ago because she wasn’t happy with her performance review. It was her first performance review she had received after starting at this company last May; they told her that she could improve on her professionalism. She couldn’t process the criticism and was willing to completely avoid receiving any, even in such a down turned economy when unemployment is on the up-rise. So how can you avoid allowing criticism to cripple your success.

  1. Approach the situation with a positive attitude. This can be hard, but If you go into the situation upset and unwilling to listen to what the other person has to say you aren’t going to listen. Having a negative attitude can also make you hostile and turn what could have been an open dialogue into an argument.
  2. Don’t plan on responding to the person offering you criticism. Think about how you act during an argument, are you really listening to the other person or are you waiting for them to finish talking so you can? Listen to the other person completely.
  3. Ask for advice on how to correct what the person is criticizing. This shows the other person that you were listening to them and creates an open dialogue. It also my clarify the criticism for you, or offer solutions that you may not have considered.
  4. Keep the dialogue open by thanking the person for advice and asking if they are okay if you come to them in the future with a problem.
  5. Take their advice with a grain of salt, remember at the end of the day you can’t please everyone.

It is also important to realize that there will always be haters. People who want to see you fail because it will make them feel better about themselves. These are the people who are more then willing to give you criticism, but not in a constructive manner and fail to offer to positive advice on how to improve on the situation.

Be it is leaving negative comments on your blog or talking smack about you to other people; they will always be around. There are ways to deal with these people, but I find the best option is to simple smile, be pleasant, and go on with your life.

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Ore-Y-Gon; Oregon

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By Jessica, November 20, 2008 10:01 pm

This is a guest post by Ti whose blog is at Tarnished Thoughts as part of the Big Blog Swap hosted by 20somethings.

I’m the original “Greenchild”, being born and raised in the Beaver State. My roots can be traced back to the Coquille natives on the southern Oregon coast. My lineage has been Oregonian since before there was even an Oregon. My ancestors never left and I guess that explains why I’ll probably never leave either.

There are a few stereotypes about Oregon and her people that hold some actual merit. Yes, the rain does come down sideways and for months at a time. Yes, we do mock people who actually attempt to use those rinky umbrellas that flip inside out at the first gust of wind. Yes, we love our coffee but you won’t see a true Oregonian sipping the Starbucks java. Yes, we are very earth-friendly and attempt to recycle everything. And yes, we have road rage but reserve it for those who sport a “California” license plate.

I’m basically the average 20-something Oregon girl. I can name more rivers than I have fingers and toes as well as tell you how to get there and where the prime fishing spots are. I can even bait my own hook, catch my own fish, clean it and cook it. I’m frequently found hanging around the Coffee House Café (see, no Starbucks) getting myself a totally organic, vegetarian wrap and a cup of caffeine-free Oregon Chai latte. My favorite beer is Dead Guy Ale from the Rogue River Brewery (Newport, Oregon) and while I’m there I usually pop by a fresh seafood market and pick up Oysters to toss on the BBQ. I love to recycle and become enraged when someone litters the most minute thing, like a gum wrapper. Every Saturday, during football season, I’m checking the online scoreboard for the Oregon Ducks. I wear green & gold with pride. There are several T-shirts in my closet, that should be retired, that have something to do with recycling, beach clean-ups or environmental efforts. I don’t wear flipflops because they become snowboards when the ground is wet but I will run around in my barefeet because I love the way the grass and the mud feels between my toes. I have several pairs of sunglasses but only really use them for the morning commute of sunrise and sunset. My jackets are Columbia Sportswear, Nike and Pendleton. When I drive I’m used to having my windshield wipers on max and have developed keen eyesight in the fog. Anything that has not erupted in the last century is a “hill” and not a “mountain”. I’m amazed at an accurate weather report. The water in Oregon is pristine and yet I buy the big pack from Costco.

Silly about me I guess. Most of my friends in other states tell I’m insane when I can’t throw away a can or when I burn into a rage over someone stapling a concert flyer to a tree trunk. I’m just me; girl, green, Oregon, proud.

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