When you receive negative feedbacks at work it is easy for you to misinterpret. There is a great potential for the criticism to actually affect your work life as well as occupy your thoughts apart from work hours.
However, have you consider that the criticism may actually be reasonable and has a point in it? It could be worse for someone to know you are doing wrong and still let you continue your mistakes.
If you are bad at handling negative feedbacks from your colleagues or boss, it will, in the end, disrupt your career. Take a look at these following tips acknowledges negative feedbacks in a good way.
Listen
The first step is to listen, what your superior or coworker has to say. Even though, perhaps, you do not hold high opinions of that person. Try not interrupt with your opinions or make conclusions before taking a good listen.
Assumptions
You may start assuming that the intentions of the person criticizing are not good. However, unless you have strong points to prove that, assume that the person means good intentions towards criticizing you.
Avoid being defensive
It is quite natural to become defensive while someone criticizes you. You can simply put forth that you have learned and how you wish to do things differently from now on. Thus again take a good listen to what their thoughts and opinions are about you. It could be that they are making a fair point which could help you improve.
Never take things personally
It is never wise to take work criticism personally. Remember that they have a feedback on your work and not on you as a person.
Always keep your cool
Remember that you are in a professional setting and you cannot lose your cool. At times the way the feedback is delivered is offensive which makes the whole criticism process negative. The content of the feedback might be reasonable but they might be delivered in an inadequate manner. Feedbacks should be presented in a constructive manner to be accepted for prospective improvement.
Find out if it is accurate
Do not just end the conversation with your boss or colleague on a criticism. Take a step back and try to talk to others in your workplace, at home or a mentor to know whether the feedback about your work is valid.
Address the problem
Regardless of who is at fault, you must address the problem. It might be that you need to change your own actions or look for others to change theirs. Or you might need to acknowledge the misunderstanding. If your boss has some criticism or negative feedback about you, it is better to self-analyze and accept it to improve for the future.
