Creative Criticism

I've always felt that the term "constructive criticism" ranks right up there with "almost pregnant" or referring to a blind date as "a great conversationalist." When it comes to criticism you're either being criticized or your not. How "constructive" that criticism is, is purely objective. If you're on the receiving end you can either learn from it or ignore it.

All of which doesn't make criticism any easier. I've been on both sides of the table -- the one giving the critique and the one receiving the criticism - and believe me, putting fancy names on criticism doesn't make said critique any more palatable.

Some of the most successful managers today all seem to agree on one thing when it comes to dealing with that employee or colleague: there are specific ways to criticize. Methods that can help you deliver your message more effectively, and lessen the negative impact. Because if you think about it, when you criticize someone's actions, your intention (hopefully) is for him or her to improve at something, not feel so demoralized that they give up completely and crawl under their desk or head for the nearest window.

So, just how do you point out the bad while keeping he overall atmosphere positive? It's not as difficult as it may seem "creative criticism" draws heavily on plain 'ol common sense and some fundamental building blocks about dealing with people.

1.Point out that everyone makes mistakes - even you. According to an article in Mercola.com, saying things like, "I've made the same mistake myself," keeps you from sounding superior, and lets the individual sitting across from you know you understand how the mistake happened.

2. Being polite never goes out of style. Lifehacker.com points out that your tone of voice does make a huge difference, compared to criticism delivered with sarcasm, anger, or a condescending tone. Even those of you out there that feel they are "perfect" and don't make mistakes, know in your heart-of-hearts that mistakes do happen -- they're part of life. The great thing is most mistakes can be fixed. This technique also lets people know that you are criticizing what the individual did, not who the individual is, and that they're still a likeable person.

3.Smile. This often overlooked fact can make all the difference between you creating a situation where something can actually be gained as opposed to an atmosphere that reeks of negativity. Smiling, even when you don't quite feel like it, makes it easier to relax, and finding some humor in the situation can defuse tension.

4.Focus on the big issues. Don't sweat the little things. In other words, if you criticize someone's every action, when something truly significant comes up you will have lost your audience in advance. It's like beating your dog so much that when it sees you coming, it grabs a stick and hits itself in the head.

And finally, although it's often been pointed out that any critique should start off with praise or at least underscoring the positives, it's also a good idea to wrap up your critique with a positive as well. Whoever said "What do you tend to remember most? The first thing someone said to you, or the last?" certainly knew what they were taking about.