Here’s how to handle delivering and receiving criticism at work

No one particularly enjoys receiving criticism, even if it happens to be constructive and offered with the best of intentions. We all can’t help but see ourselves with rose colored glasses to a certain extent, and negative feedback often has a way of shattering those aviators in the worst of ways.

While unwelcome criticism can come at any time of the day, a less than stellar evaluation on the job can be especially devastating. It’s no secret that countless working Americans tend to see their careers as a large part of their overall identity. When a manager or colleague comes along and starts pointing out flaws, it can be akin to dumping a bucket of cold water on one’s well being. 

Long story short, both delivering and receiving criticism on the job is a delicate endeavor to say the least. Whether you’re a manager unsure of how to approach your team about mistakes and oversights, or find yourself fuming internally after even the slightest of suggestions from others, there are a number of helpful, science-backed strategies that can help feedback of all kinds land in a softer, easier to digest manner. Here’s how to handle delivering and receiving criticism at work.

How to deliver criticism in the workplace

Defensiveness and denial are natural reactions to negative feedback, even among the most open-minded and positive workers. So what can be done to help soften the figurative blow while delivering a critique or less than glowing assessment? Research published in The British Journal of Social Psychology tells us it’s key to emphasize that the recipient of the feedback is still a valued member of the team. In other words, it should be made clear that you’re not criticizing the person, just the specific mistake, error, or oversight.

The moment a piece of negative feedback is perceived as being more personal than professional, people have a tendency to become especially defensive, blocking out and ignoring the advice along the way – even if they stand to benefit from it in the long run. This type of detrimental defensiveness can be avoided by stressing both respect and value toward the target of the criticism. 

Similarly, conveying criticism should never be a one-way conversation. Always grant the other party an opportunity to explain themselves. In many cases, doing so allows the listener to see your side of the story much more easily. 

Another relevant piece of scientific research published in the Journal of Business Ethics reports it’s imperative to deliver criticism with at least a little bit of caring as well. Don’t just reprimand and call attention to the error, point out that you’re bringing the topic up in the first place out of concern for the other party. When criticism is framed as a learning moment as opposed to something to be punished over, the listener is much more likely to take the advice to heart.

How to respond to criticism on the job

What about when you inevitably find yourself on the other side of the feedback equation? Receiving an unexpected flurry of criticism on the job can unsettle seasoned and novice workers alike, but there are a few psychological strategies you can adopt to help resist the temptation to take negative feedback personally and fall into a pattern of unproductive rumination.

• Don’t deflect, embrace instead: They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the same can apply to any number of professional tasks. Just because you don’t see anything wrong with your work doesn’t necessarily mean it’s perfect. It’s easy to close ourselves off from other opinions, but embracing a different perspective on your work can eventually lead to a stronger overall performance later on.

• Cut yourself some slack: No one is absolutely perfect at their job, despite what plenty of people on LinkedIn want you to believe. Criticism or corrections from a supervisor or coworker may feel like you’re being called bad at your job – but feedback is hardly a zero sum game. Do your best to view any critiques between 9 and 5 as an opportunity to come back the next day even better at your job.

• Avoid impulsive reactions: Akin to waiting a few hours or days before sending a passionate email or text you wrote in the heat of the moment, it’s advisable to avoid snap reactions when confronted with criticism. Give yourself a few moments at the very least to let the advice sink in. Once the initial shock of the critique passes, you’ll likely be in a much better mindset to respond and engage with your colleagues.