The Right Way to Handle Criticism:

How did you react the last time you were criticized by a teammate or your boss? Did you seethe in silence the rest of the day? Did you blame someone else for the problem – a teammate or a customer, for instance? What’s the right way to react to criticism?

Here are three tips:

 Don’t take it personally. If someone criticizes the way you handled a situation, don’t conclude that he or she is finding fault with you as a person. Separate your job performance from your personal self-image.

 Don’t let offhand criticism slide by. When someone directs offhand criticism at you, there’s probably a specific reason for it. Say, “It would help me to know exactly what I’m doing wrong so I can correct it.”

 Don’t tune out criticism you feel is unwarranted. You score points with people when you simply listen to what they say. Acknowledge you heard the criticism, thank the person for it and move on.