Think Anti-Criticism
Friday, 10. 23. 2009 – Category: T2 Communications
We all like to know that we’re doing a job well done and that we know everything we need to about how to do it. There will be times, however, that we don’t know it all, and if we do then there are likely others around us who don’t. This can be a tricky situation. How do we let others know what they need to know without criticizing them? Some would say that criticism is a necessary evil. They would say that there are people in the workplace that need to improve and the only way to do it is through constructive criticism. Is that really the only way? Nobody likes to be criticized. Criticism, even if constructive, is still criticism. How then do we improve our staff or respond to ideas that aren’t in line with company goals? The trick is in the approach, the response, and the words we shouldn’t use.
Choose Responses Carefully
This is especially true in a group meeting where everyone is expected to shout out ideas. Ideas are hard enough to come up with without worrying about whether they will be shot down each time they’re spoken. If you want to encourage input from your team, be careful about how you respond to new ideas. Even a simple response, like “Not quite” or “That’s not exactly what I’m looking for,” can be taken as criticism and turn a brainstorming session silent. Instead of making statements about how an idea doesn’t work or isn’t what you’re looking for, ask questions to help the idea evolve into a better solution. “You’re on the right track,” is a nice response and other examples are, “Good idea. What else can we think of along those lines?”, “Good thinking. Let’s build off from that idea,” and “I like what you’re saying. What else?” Notice, the word “but” is missing. It implies that the idea is good, just not good enough. This leads into the next point.
Avoid the Word “But” and Let “Good Job” Be
Constant “constructive” criticism can wear out a person’s gusto after a while. Sometimes praise is enough, period. Build up confidence and let the criticism, whether constructive or other, rest. Your staff doesn’t have to constantly be watched for mistakes, especially in jobs where the employee needs to appear confident, like a sales position. There are plenty of opportunities to improve, but opportunities for praise should be what you’re looking for.
Positive reinforcement is very powerful! Letting your employees know how well they’re doing can be even more effective than never-ending tips on ways they can do better. Too much “That was good, but…” can really break down the self confidence a person may need to do their job. “Great job. I’m impressed with how often you smiled at that customer!” or “Nice work on mentioning our special offer! Keep it up!” are two good examples of letting praise be your teaching tool.
Be Direct for Necessary Improvements
When there is something that needs to be specifically addressed, saying it too nicely can be counterproductive. Avoid criticism, “You’re not doing enough of this,” or “The way you do that isn’t correct,” but be direct. Address the situation with confidence and request that it either be stopped if harmful to the organization or be improved if it is imperative to peak performance. “Let’s chat about how we can improve your approach,” or “It would be best if you stopped distracting the other sales people with personal conversations,” are two polite ways of directly addressing a topic that needs improvement.
Being constructive is always a good idea. Just don’t beat around the bush. It won’t help you or them if they leave a discussion unsure of what it was really about or without a mental note of specific areas they need to improve. If you think that a compliment would ease the sting of what you’re about to address, remember no buts!
Tags: communication, Katie Petre, leadership, management, success