Using Criticism as a Blueprint for Self-Improvement | Bryan C ...

As a motivational speaker and business advisor, I?m often led to the topic of criticism. Business owners, entrepreneurs, and other individuals in leadership positions often have trouble dealing with criticism, but in reality, it comes with the territory and leaders need to learn how to deal with it properly, ?even positively. All leaders are sized up, judged, and criticized at one point or another. Anyone who chooses to stand alone in any aspect generally pays the price of criticism. When you?re in the forefront, everything you do gets noticed, scrutinized, and even magnified.

The good news here is that we don?t have to allow criticism to discourage or cripple us. In fact, if handled correctly, criticism, regardless of how brutal, can be used to build character and move us further down the pathway of success.

How to Handle Criticism

First of all, as a leader, you?ve probably already realized that you can?t please everyone. Don?t try to. You?ll keep yourself up at night and drive yourself crazy. I know of leaders and business owners who worry about the way they are viewed by the their employees, their friends, their clients, and the general public. It?s enough to give you ulcers. So, what do you do? Do you simply ignore the viewpoints and opinions of others? Of course not. In fact, when handled properly, criticism can be a very beneficial tool for personal growth.

Here are the three steps to properly handling criticism.

1. Be Certain of Where You Stand

First of all, you?ll never be able to hold up under criticism if you are standing on shaky ground. On the other hand, if you are certain of your mission and the integrity of what you are doing, criticism won?t change who you are.

Let?s look at the greatest example of leadership, Jesus Christ. When He came to earth, He was already certain within Himself of where He stood, what He believed, and what His purpose was. When the critics arrived, He wasn?t shaken and He didn?t waver.

Of course, Jesus was perfect and we are not, but there is a valuable lesson to be learned. When we know who we are and what we stand for, we can look for seeds of truth in criticism and actually use it to examine ourselves honestly. We can only do this if we are first certain of who we are, what our purpose is, and what our belief system is. Otherwise, criticism can toss us to and fro, knocking us off of our path, sidetracking us, and even cause us to enter into compromise.

When we are certain of our position, critics can expose our weaknesses and help us to learn about ourselves. Sometimes we really are making mistakes that are painfully obvious to those around us, but not to ourselves. It?s generally not our fans who expose us to these errors, but our critics.

2. Be Willing to Change

This step involves your attitude. In life, it?s much more important to ?learn what is right? than to always strive to ?be right.? When you are criticized, you may be tempted to hold your ground even when you are wrong. It?s human nature to defend ourselves.

Aldous Huxley said, ?The truth that makes you free is, for the most part, the truth you would prefer not to hear.?

When we, as leaders, are confronted with criticism, our attitude toward words we don?t want to hear determines whether we will grow from the experience or not. When we have the right attitude, our critics can actually open us up to new perspectives and ideas we may never have considered before. As a result, criticism can help us to expand our thinking and move us forward on the path to success.

Remember, as I?ve always said, our attitude determines our altitude. This situation is no different. It doesn?t really matter what spirit the words of others came from or even if the criticism was legitimate or not. It?s how we choose to take it that determines whether it will be positive or negative. Always look for the grain of truth, be willing to make necessary changes, take the high road and move on.

3. Be True to Yourself

Probably the most important element of effective leadership is to be yourself. Using criticism to open you up to new ideas, recognize problem areas, or to look at your business from a fresh perspective is one thing, but don?t let criticism take you to the point where you are trying to fit into a mold or become someone you are not. The personality, mannerisms, talent, and gifts you were given are unique to you. It?s vital for you to discover and develop them.

If we allow our critics to have too big of a voice in our life, we can lose ourselves. Their opinions can become so important that their words drown out our own inner voice. Part of being yourself and accepting yourself involves having the courage to follow what you believe to be right. You may have to stand alone for a while. Others may not always understand you, but remember, great men and women who changed history very rarely ever stood with the crowd.

Okay, to recap, when it comes to criticism, realize that some of what people say is going to be true (and it may sting). Take inventory and be willing to change. On the other hand, don?t lose yourself to criticism or compromise your calling. Sometimes people are just projecting their own issues onto you, so you?ll have to learn to recognize that. Change what you can and forget the rest.

Also, as a final thought, don?t expect criticism to ever stop?it won?t. When you?re out there on the front lines, the hits just keep on coming. That?s why it?s important to learn to quickly assess it, use what you can, put a positive spin on it and throw away the junk. That?s leadership 101.

Bryan Binkholder, The Financial Coach, is a catalyst for change in the financial industry. With a true passion to make a difference, Bryan offers practical insights on financial topics, investment strategies, and business success. As a business advisor, motivational speaker and author, Bryan is best known for exposing the inner workings of Wall Street and bringing clarity to common investment misconceptions. Be sure to take advantage of his two most popular resources: 7 Deadly Traps of Investing and? The Six Pitfalls of Retirement Planning and look for his latest book, 401(k) Conspiracy, authored with Jim Winkelmann of Blue Ocean Portfolios. If you are a business owner, plan sponsor, or 401(k) plan participant, you?ll want this information.

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