4 Ways to Handle Criticism

Have you ever been criticized? Ever had someone dislike you or your company? How about post something unflattering for all to see on the Internet? This seems to be a recurring theme this past week as several members have called or emailed me to discuss problems with clients, former employees and business associates. Each person expressed an emotional version of the following: “How could they think, say, write or do that?” I would be willing to bet you have had a similar experience, so let’s talk about it…

Criticism. It hurts, I know. I've been there a few times. It has even kept me up at night ...thinking about how I should have responded, what I could have done differently, how I will address the situation and what I will do differently in the future.

Note: I'm talking about undeserved criticism here. If you make a mistake, fix it, apologize sincerely, and move on. It's when we are unjustifiably called on the proverbial carpet or targeted that our response tends to get tied up in emotional knots.

So what do you do when someone doesn't like you or your company?

First, realize when you put yourself out there in the world you WILL get criticism. Congratulations you are doing something noticeable!

Second, realize that criticism, while it doesn't feel good, actually makes us better. It causes us to stop and look at ways to improve our product or service. It helps us to develop our customer service and communication skills and forces us to look at our corporate values and goals. Criticism helps us align our actions with our goals and perhaps most importantly, it helps us remember and refine our purpose.

Third, understand you cannot please everyone. If a mistake brought on this firestorm of condemnation, make good on it. Then, when you have done all you can, realize you cannot please everyone. Understand that for no particular reason, not everyone will like you or be your friend – think high school. Bottom line: some people are just simply unreasonable. My goal is to always do what I believe is right – that’s the best anyone can do.

Finally, don’t let criticism hold you back. Forge through the emotion, stay on your path and build your company. Make changes where necessary, but stay true to your goals and purpose. Don’t let someone else steal your dream. The sting of criticism will fade and you will be left with an experience that helped define who you are and where you’re going.

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Thank you Kim Sullivan for letting us share your blog post. Kim Sullivan is the CMO at Event Planners Association. The Event Planners Association provides the support event professionals need to build their businesses confidently and effectively. The EPA offers specialized, hard-to-find insurance, utilizing all major carriers, legal assistance, documents and advice from our in-house law firm, internet marketing, education, and much more.

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