Constructive criticism is a type of criticism designed to help, not stigmatize. Constructive criticism is easier to perceive and more often brings the effect of improvement, therefore it should be a rule, inter alia, in relations with employees. Learn its principles and learn to criticize constructively.

Be able toconstructively criticizeis a real art, because it is the form of criticism that determines whether it will motivate you to improve or discourage you from further action. It is difficult to do without criticism, we have the right to it, and some situations in life require us to judge and say what is not always pleasant. It is especially difficult to avoid criticism regarding performance at work or school, because in these situations the determinant of success is progress. If it's not there, it's hard to get praise. How to criticize constructively then?

Constructive criticism is primarily a way of pointing out someone's mistakes or drawing attention that will lead to a change in that person's behavior. The critic's goal in this case is not to be humiliated, malignant, or attacked, but to highlight what can be improved. Constructive criticism is highly valued in interpersonal relationships, because it allows you to maintain good relations between the critic and the criticized. It differs from regular criticism in that words should not be uttered under the influence of strong emotions, and the manner of criticizing cannot hurt the other person.

Principles of constructive criticism

In order for the criticism to meet the conditions of constructive criticism, certain rules must be met. Here they are:

  • Define the purpose and meaning of the criticism.First, consider whether the situation requires criticism and whether the person who is criticized will actually benefit from it. In this case, the most important thing is the goal we want to achieve. Criticism resulting from nervousness or frustration is unjustified. The motivation must be deeper - then there is a sense in expressing your opinion.
  • Prepare the other person for criticism . Since constructive criticism has to be considered, it is worth giving the other side a chance for a well-thought-out response as well so that they can defend themselves. We cannot pin someone down by criticism and put them in a difficult position byunexpected attack. In this way, we can only cause an undesirable reaction from the other party, e.g. responding with aggression, being offended, closing ourselves off to other solutions, demotivating. It is best to announce, for example, an honest conversation, give some signal in advance that we will evaluate something or someone.
  • Stick to the facts.Constructive criticism relies on rational arguments based on facts, not generalizations. Therefore, for the criticism, you need to prepare the right argumentation that will confirm the assessment made. People are most interested in rational and objective justification of their arguments, so it is worth preparing for criticism in advance and rethinking each accusation, looking for concrete evidence for it. So that no one accuses us of personal prejudice or unfair judgment. Making accusations like "you're useless", "you can't count on you" is too general and may be perceived as a personal attack.
  • Teach first, then criticize.Before you go on to mention your objections or comments towards the other person, try to present the correct picture of the situation, i.e. how it should look like. First, we pay attention to the values ​​that must be followed and which are important, and only then we show where and when they were missing. So that the criticized person knows why he / she has acted wrongly, knows your intentions. This is a chance to show the problem in the most objective way possible, so that the person accepting the criticism will be able to agree with us and draw conclusions from their behavior.
  • Respect the criticized person.The perception of criticism is completely different, if you sense the criticism's friendliness and good intentions in it. For this reason, you should always stay calm and not get carried away. Criticizing in emotions is usually perceived as an attack, the other party may feel humiliated and discredited. Such feelings will not help her learn from the criticism. By respecting our interlocutor, we will make him respect. It is also discouraged to criticize in front of other people, in public. The criticized person has the right to feel humiliated in such conditions.
  • Praise first, then criticize.The gentle, calm tone of the conversation means cutting yourself off from negative emotions that could make the whole argument irrational. To soften the overtones of the criticism, it is good to weave a positive evaluation into it. So it is good to start with recognition and praise. This will make the criticized person open to further assessment and consider them fair.
  • Criticize and advise.In constructive criticism, the support that the criticized person should feel is important. So listing its badfeatures or mistakes made, it is worth having an idea for solving a problem or improving behavior. Thanks to this, he will feel our concern and it will be easier for him to follow our advice. It is also worth giving the criticized party a chance to defend or justify themselves. This will help us understand what the problem is and choose the best solution in this situation.
Worth knowing

Constructive criticism - an ally at work

Constructive criticism is highly appreciated in relationships with employees. It allows the management staff to influence the efficiency of work and the achievements of the people they report. Such criticism is very motivating to action and allows you to look at your work objectively.

Finally, it is worth remembering that constructive criticism is only ten percent of the total opinion about a person. In the whole conversation, we cannot focus only on the mistakes, because stigmatizing them will have the opposite effect than the expected ones.

Category:

Psychology