How
to Cope with Criticism From Your Boss
by Steve Coz of Los Angeles Times
How
well you handle criticism at work can determine how far you'll go
in your career, says an expert.
Dr. Adele Scheele,
a career strategist and author of the book "Skills for Success,"
says these tips can help you to effectively deal with criticism
from your boss:
- Do not apologize
unnessarily. "Someone who apologizes over and over not only
can be annoying, but may also be unbelievable," Dr. Scheele
said. "And don't snivel your apology. When you've made an
error, simply say: 'I'm sorry.'"
- "In
some cases you may have nothing to apologize about when you're
criticized. At those times you can ask for suggestions about correcting
the situation, without apologizing first."
- If the criticism
makes you angry, stop talking. Anything you say in anger to your
boss can hurt your career -- or even get you fired. Count to 10
before you say anything. "if you dont open your mouth, it's
hard to put your foot in it."
- Disarm your
critic. One tactic is to ask for advice on how you could have
done a better job. This will help to clarify the criticism, so
you'll know the exact nature of your boss' complaint. "Secondly,
it shows your boss that you want to cooperate and that you respect
his leadership abilities," Dr. Scheele said.
- Make your
own suggestions to improve your performance after you've been
criticized. As you make your suggestions, ask for your boss' opinion
about them. Your idea may solve the problem -- or it might trigger
another idea from your boss that will resolve it.
- Try looking
at things from your boss' point of view. If you put yourself in
his shoes, you'll e better able to understand his criticism, and
it will help you to make necessary changes. If you feel you're
being criticized unfairly, discuss it with your boss. But do it
calmly, logically and without being argumentative.
Dr. Scheele
added: "Many times the situation can be clarified by presenting
your point of view."
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