There are not too many people who have the ability to receive criticism graciously and learn from the painful experience. Here are 11 reasons that will assist you to a greater understanding.
Any business with the ability to receive feedback,
which is its very life blood, will be a healthy business with an ongoing growth. Criticism then becomes the proverbial axe that cuts right at the trunk of the tree. It however, seems to be designed to cut you off at the ankles. It is just like bread crumbs in the bed. No matter what, you simply can't ignore it, whether it is good or bad. So how do you learn to turn criticism around, be it said intentionally, said in ignorance, or said foolishly? How do you make a negative become a positive, which is the key to any successful entrepreneur?
Here are 11 causes why you can't accept criticism:
1. The critic informs you of everything the critic believes is wrong, because you don't have the ability to see it yourself
2. The critic has the attitude of being superior and smarter than you
3. The critic's motives are not always clear and shows no understanding of your aims and goals
4.The critic assumes the position that there is a universal standard, or method on which the criticism is based and the critic is the sole possessor of the ability to form that measurement
5. Destructive criticism is always one sided, looking at only the negatives
6. The critic makes you feel you are an idiot and therefore deserve to be ridiculed
7. The critic wants you to believe that the criticism must be accepted
8. The critic shreds your self-esteem leaving you feeling inadequate, hopeless and plain stupid
9. Criticism can be delivered in a snide, sarcastic, snaky, mocking, cynical, thoughtless, mean, spiteful, flippant, arrogant, dismissive, jealous, curt, or annoyed manner
10. Criticism that is destructive points at you, rather than to the any short fall of your project, or performance
11.The criticism will 'put-you-in-your-place' because you are getting 'too-big-for-your-boots'.
It is quite a normal reaction to attempt to defend yourself and then to hit back, when you have been wiped out because of criticism. Whenever anyone throws a spear, you naturally want to throw it back.
So, let's take a quick look at constructive criticism, but always remember any criticism will only be acceptable if you already have a good relationship with the person offering the criticism:
1.Constructive criticism leaves you room to move with dignity, not slavishly follow what the critic has to say
2.Good criticism is an act of respect and careful communication, looking at your project, or performance, not at you as a person
3.A good critic spends more time telling you what is right, than what they believe is wrong with you, or your project, or performance, then some more good comments. Rather like a sandwich with the negative as the filling
4.Good criticism will show up any slapdash, or laxness in your performance, or weakness in your project
5.An effective critic will have a true understanding of the intent and purpose of what has been done and what your aims and goals are. They will try to look at it from your point-of-view
6.Constructive criticism will help you to make the absolute best of your next set of choices
7.Good criticism is heavily laced with compassion, not arsenic and strychnine.
8.Constructive criticism uplifts you mentally, morally, emotionally and spiritually.
Being able to find good feedback which you can trust is an almost impossible task. Here are a few golden rules that will assist you working your way through criticism.
1.Firstly understand that criticism is much easier to give out than to receive.
2.Always stop and verify the angle your critic is coming from. Then allow yourself time to decide if there are some grains of truth in the criticism. More often than not, there are.
3.Your instant reaction will always be illogical and when you react at once to the criticism, it becomes a negative on your part.
4.You simply can't afford the luxury of sliding down the no-exit road of self pity. It will gain you nowhere.
5.Finally, learn a lesson from professional boxers. When you are badly hurt, go to the ropes to regroup. You need to do the same with criticism.
When you are able to see criticism as a golden opportunity to take stock of where you are at, you are on your way to healthy growth. You need to make whatever adjustments are necessary, then climb right on up to even greater heights. If you are beginning to travel in the successful lane, criticism WILL come your way. Only those who are successful entrepreneurs will take time out to turn Negative criticism into a Positive.
