How do you handle criticism?

At some point in life, you will be criticized for one reason or the other. Sometimes it will be difficult to accept, but then it depends on your reaction.

So many of us find criticism difficult to handle because most of the time it is about the way we do things, why we do them and when we do them.

Criticism is defined by the Oxford dictionary as the expression of disapproval of someone or something on the basis of perceived faults or mistakes.

So when you are criticized, how do you handle it? Do you see it as a way of bringing you down or encouraging you?

LifeXtra asked a few people how they felt when they are criticized; and the responses were very interesting.

Charles Uchechi, a web designer, told LifeXtra that “It depends on who is criticizing me and the purpose of the criticism. If it is the type that would encourage me to be a better person, I’ll accept it but if it’s the other way round, in other words, if it’s meant to insult or just bring me down, I’ll not take it lightly with the person.”

Jummai Austin, a multimedia journalist, says it depends on her history with the person criticizing her. “It depends on how the criticisms were made and the reason behind it; because some people can come under the guise of criticism to bring you down and dampen your spirit.”

“However, if it is a constructive criticism, I wouldn’t have a problem with it,” she added.

According to an article  titled “Six reasons why criticism is a good thing” on theguardian.com, “If someone has a criticism, it means they want to give you feedback on what they think about you – that means an opportunity to learn more about you.”

The article added “The language you use in response to criticism is vitally important. Try to avoid getting into an argument. Instead, turn the exchange into a discussion about how to resolve the problem.”

Speaking on why criticisms are done, another article on Psychology today titled “What’s Wrong with Criticism” by Steven Stosny, stated “Critical people are certainly smart enough to figure out that criticism doesn’t work. So why do they keep doing it, even in the face of mounting frustration? It’s because criticism is an easy form of ego defense.”

“We don’t criticize because we disagree with a behavior or an attitude. We criticize because we somehow feel devalued by the behaviour or attitude. Critical people tend to be easily insulted and especially in need of ego defense,” the article added.