How to Accept Criticism While at Work

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So you just finished what you thought was a great project at work, and now your boss is listing all the things you need to improve upon. Don’t get discouraged; constructive criticism is a key part of any job. Through this article, learn how to accept criticism and do your job as well as possible.

Steps

1. Accept that you are not perfect. If you begin each task thinking that nothing will go wrong, you’re fooling yourself. You will make mistakes, the important thing is to learn from them.
2. Double check your work. After you’ve finished, and before you submit it to your supervisor, be sure you’ve gone over everything carefully. This can help you to avoid silly mistakes and ensure that your boss won’t have to bother you about minor problems.
3. Don’t take it personally. If your boss has criticism for you, remind yourself that it doesn’t necessarily mean s/he doesn’t like you, or that you’re not good enough for the job. Your boss is simply trying to ensure that you do the best work possible.
4. Listen carefully. If you ignore critical comments, you’re doomed to repeat the same mistakes. Take notes and continually remind yourself how to fix the problem. This step is the most difficult, as it can mean that one must “suck up” one’s pride and admit one’s responsibility in one’s work-related errors.
5. Don’t hold a grudge. Staying angry/upset about criticism can affect your future work. Put the mistakes out of your mind and focus on doing the best job possible on the next task.
6. Clear the air. If you’re upset with how your boss criticized you, let him or her know as soon as possible, so there are no lingering bad feelings between the two of you. Explain why it upset you, and suggest changes that could be made to strengthen your relationship.

Tips

• Always remember that it is your work being criticized, not you. For example, if your boss is criticizing a letter you wrote, forget that you ever wrote it. Pretend that someone else did, and your boss is merely asking you to revise it for them.
• Remember, your boss is not doing this because he or she does not like you or your work. They are doing this because they want you to improve your work.
• Whatever you do make sure that it is the best from your side.

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