When your boss criticizes you in front of others, do these 5 things
Many people have a hard time with the idea that their boss criticizes them, and to get ahead in life we need to learn how to deal with it. People think that if they are wrong, they will get fired or lose their job. This is not true at all. If your boss criticizes you in front of other people, there are ways for you to handle this situation without getting upset and being an angry person. If you’re somebody who’s hating a good enough job due to an overly critical boss, read on.
Here are 5 tips on how to deal with an overly critical boss:
1. Don’t take it personally
Your boss may be trying to help you improve, or they could want to vent out their frustration. It would help if you tried to see what they are saying as constructive feedback rather than personal insults. After all, they are your seniors, and if you have a problem with their criticism, you’ll need to address it privately. Even if you have an overly critical boss, you don’t want to make a scene before your colleagues or co-workers. It doesn’t look professional and is not constructive to the overall effectiveness of your group.
2. Learn to listen
When someone criticizes you, don’t interrupt them. Instead, let them finish talking and ask questions when you need more information. This way, you can understand what your boss is trying to say and use it to your advantage in the future. Remember, it is not your boss’s job to tell you how to do your job. These are just suggestions for improving your performance and making it more effective.
3. Take notes
Make sure you write down everything your boss says to refer back to it later. It will make it easier for you to remember what was said and help you get it right in the future. It is also a good idea to take notes when you get scolded in front of others. What matters is that you learned from your mistakes and were able to correct them using the provided information.
4. Ask for clarification
Sometimes, your boss might not mean what they say. They might be confused about something or the other while giving you advice or they may simply have the wrong information. In such cases, ask them to explain themselves and make sure it is crystal clear for you before moving forward. Also, if you are not sure about what they are trying to say, ask them to repeat themselves a couple of times so you can soak in the information.
5. Respond appropriately
Once you know what your overly critical boss meant, you can respond appropriately. For example, if your boss tells you that you didn’t follow directions, tell them that you will work more efficiently to ensure that you will never make the same mistake again. Keep your cool when dealing with criticism.
Remember, when you are being criticized in front of others, it might be a painful experience, but in the end, everyone will benefit from it. By using these tips and tricks for getting through the criticism and improving yourself and your job performance, you will be able to move forward and grow as a person and an employee.
What to do if the criticism turns personal?
If your boss criticizes you, you must first accept that they have an opinion. Then it would help if you learned how to react to criticism professionally. Remember, you are not being criticized because you are bad; you are being criticized so your performance becomes better. So, instead of reacting negatively, you should thank your boss for helping you improve in the future. It doesn’t make you look bad or inferior, and it just shows that you have learned something new and will be able to apply it in your job successfully in the future. Criticism should never be personal, if it becomes personal be sure to take it up with your Human Resources and senior managers.