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Selmer Hanson - How to Provide Constructive Criticism

Author: John Smith
by John Smith
Posted: Sep 29, 2015

Knowing how to give constructive feedback is an essential skill, and is vital in the business world and in every aspect of life. People need our feedback so as to develop into their best selves. If the feedback is not given in the right way, it can be good for nothing and/or destructive.

Here are few steps to providing constructive criticism:

Time it right

Good timing is essential when providing criticism. Never criticize at the present moment. Nobody wants to come down from the platform immediately after giving a speech and then meet a friend who says he or she talked too quickly, his or her focuses were indecisive, or that the speech went on for too long. Say something decent at the moment and after that, pick a more suitable time to give guidance. It is also advisable to find a secluded space to give your criticism and not in presence of other people.

Check yourself

Do you truly mean what you are saying, or would you say you are using the camouflage of "constructive feedback" to vent personal issues that you are having with that individual?

Do not be harsh in your approach

Do not make the person to feel threatened by what you are saying so that they can be able to reason with your criticism. Attempt to give your criticism through a personal anecdote or a motivating story of somebody well known who experienced the same thing.

Concentrate on actions, not on the individual

The individual is not lazy, his or her paper was just messy. The individual is not incompetent; the editing process was just not done properly. Be sure not to concentrate on the individual; you should rather focus on what he or she did.

Finally, you should keep in mind that when criticism is used improperly, it could undermine and threaten the growth of people around us. However, if it is used wisely it can be a valuable tool that will enhance their growth and development.

Selmer Hanson is a certified coach for Myers Briggs Type Indicator. He coaches people who are going through difficult transitions in their career, after being fired, losing a partner, leaving a poorly-run company, lay-offs, succession planning, managing risk, and family issues. He also coach and train recent graduates from college as they go into their first full-time career.

About the Author

The Author writes articles for stress management, helping people in need and business field. He has also contributed to Wikipedia, Squidoo and Hubpages. His articles have been published in print as well as online magazines.

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Author: John Smith

John Smith

Member since: Aug 19, 2015
Published articles: 8

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