Every month, or every few weeks, your superior or senior might have a one-on-one session with you about your progress at work. It is one of the most important part of a new job, and evaluations can also determine your attitude in the office, especially if you end up with some criticism that you can’t really handle. Here are five simple steps to help you go breeze through a tense moment of harsh criticism.
1. Take a Deep Breath
At the first sign of criticism, take a deep breath and remind yourself to stay calm.
2. Remember the Concept of Feedback
Remind yourself that no matter how harsh or positive your feedback is, the whole point of it is to improve your skills, work product and relationship in the office.
3. Listen Closely
Do not combat your senior by getting into a debate, trying to explain yourself while they’re in the middle of giving feedback. Listen closely without interruption and when he or she is done, track back the important things you’ve heart, and do not analyze of over-think the feedback. Simply focus on the comments and perspective of your senior.
4. Make Room for Improvement
After the process, talk to your senior to get more clarity and to share your perspective. Again, you don’t want to get into a heated debate. It’ll be good to list down some of the key points that were given to you to deconstruct the feedback, and to seek solutions to address the criticism.
5. Say Thank You
Saying ‘thank you’ means more than just being polite, but you should do it genuinely by looking into the person’s eyes as you thank him or her. Telling your senior how you appreciate the time to talk about your progress doesn’t mean you agree with what he or she says. It shows that you acknowledge their effort to share their thoughts with you. (Source)
