Criticism is what you carried home from work; it's what keeps you awake at night, and it's what you've been carrying on your shoulders for years.

Criticism is frequently seen negatively. However, few people regard criticism as an opportunity for growth, strength, and the ability to exceed expectations. The famous book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” explains how to Influence People With Your Thinking.

Know Your Limits

We are, after all, human beings. We may want to be everything to everyone, but we cannot be everywhere at the same time.

One thing I've learned during my career is that there's nothing wrong with saying no. Overburdening yourself with work and responsibilities can be stressful, ineffective, and self-destructive.

When you are chastised for saying no, remember to be proud of yourself for recognizing your limitations. Saying no indicates that you are aware of your own truth.

Accept Failure

While you can choose to utilize criticism constructively, this does not guarantee that you will always succeed. Failure is a valuable commodity. The first time you hear someone say it, you won't comprehend what they mean.

Someone who criticizes you may not always offer you the whole picture. You can take their advice and put it into action, but there will be occasions when it is insufficient. The only way to understand the broad picture is to fail WHEN you fail, not IF you fail.

That is when you can put everything together, use it as a whole, and get insight. You've heard the expression: Two steps forward, one step back!

Be Consistent/Coherent

Healthy habits can be formed quickly, but maintaining consistency requires discipline. Every day, you must practice believing that you can turn criticism into opportunity.

With enough focus and commitment (and a dash of ingenuity), you can generate effective work while avoiding criticism.

You may not be consistent in generating exceptional writing at times, or you may find a project too large, or you may take it on because you believe you can do it all. The secret, however, is to be less critical of yourself. Instead, focus on producing solid, consistent work that will carry over into other parts of your life.

Never Take It Personally

This is tough if we are concerned about the quality of our work. However, thinking about or actually caring about criticism is pointless and harmful.

Often, the most damaging criticism comes from people closest to us, whether in our personal life or at work. Rather than viewing criticism as a setback, accept it as constructive feedback.

If I can receive feedback positively, I will be able to open my mind and allow myself to improve. That development translated into the capacity to run a business and listen to my clients' wants and concerns, which resulted in excellent outcomes.

Make sure to say thank you the next time you receive criticism.

Building Trust

A solid foundation is required for trust. Reciprocity of action will lead to trust if someone has your best interests in mind and is honest with you. Building trust takes effort, but staying loyal to your values, especially in business, may go a long way.

 

This article is part of our Business Coaching blog series. At Dataczar we talk to a lot of small businesses. We’ve found a few books that we keep recommending time and again. To better help our customers, we’ve added a Reading List for Small Businesses to our website. We encourage every small business owner to read and keep these timeless business books on their office shelf.

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