The art of constructive criticism

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.”

This quote from Winston Churchill drives home the importance of criticism. Those in the position of criticizing others, however, can easily forget the importance of how to properly deliver it.

Mastering constructive criticism is paramount in any and every workplace or social environment, mainly because we hate criticism in general. It sends every nerve-ending on the fritz if somebody gives us an honest or brutal opinion. Even if you were to be critiqued in a perfectly eloquent and respectable manner, there would still be a part of you wincing in anger that you did something wrong.

It’s true that many people need to get a thicker skin and deal with the fact that they aren’t doing something right, but we can all massage our critical methods. I’m no master in the art, but just like everybody, I’ve been in the critical hot seat plenty of times and have experienced criticism that has either enriched or hurt me.

The reason I emphasize constructive criticism is because regular criticism can sometimes be pointless or arbitrary. Someone may not like something because it doesn’t adhere to their personal preferences, rather than being objective in quality. To them I would say, basically, if you don’t have anything meaningful to add, then don’t say anything at all.

Constructive criticism goes deeper into why you have an issue with something and how that issue can be resolved. It’s meant to improve the outcome, and not just point out the flaws.

The problem is, many people don’t see criticism as a time to help somebody or nurture their growth process. They see it as an opportunity to make someone look like an idiot, while getting off on their ego. This can result in the person turning someone’s fault into their own educational sermon. We critics can also jump the gun. Many times people fail to see a minor error as a short lapse in judgment.

When giving your two cents — make it short, sweet and don’t beat around the bush. Just say what someone did wrong, and how they can improve that. Try to balance out the criticism with some positives. Tough love can be good, but don’t totally demoralize someone. I’m not saying you should pad every problem with a compliment, but people need some type of uplifting comment in the midst of overwhelming negatives to give them a starting point.

Delivery is a huge part of helping people accept criticism. If you come off snappy and condescending, people are going to focus less on what they did wrong and how much of a jerk you are. Obviously, when somebody has really messed up they deserve a good licking, but it should be saved for special occasions. It’s also easy to be too nice. You can be taken less seriously if you don’t have any authority or agency in your voice, whatsoever. Most importantly, you need to really sell the fact that you care and want to improve something or someone through your disposition.

Johannes Kepler, a noted 16th century mathematician, astronomer and astrologer, once said, “I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses.”

There was a former instructor of mine who could deliver criticism like he was diffusing a bomb. When he would critique a paper of mine, all of his points seemed logical and fair. It felt like he was trying to help me write a better paper rather than merely pointing out the flaws. He also delivered them in a stern yet compassionate manner that made the criticism easier to swallow and respect. I took everything he said seriously, but always knew it was coming from a place of compassion. I value his opinion greatly and wish he could review all of my work.

This is the kind of person those in leadership positions should aspire to be. If you express your thoughts honestly, thoughtfully and with a desire to push somebody forward, your opinion will be revered and sought out.