July 2015
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On Conflict and Criticism

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Many people fear criticism in the workplace. They keep quiet and don’t share their opinions at the office for fear of looking foolish in front of leadership and colleagues. But backing down in the face of conflict keeps people stuck in negative situations and unhealthy relationships. Professionally, it is important for employees and managers alike to communicate clearly and directly when they see things that are wrong, and not to fear the consequences of doing so. When a problem arises, it’s important for workers to focus on what they believe they did right, and what they think is the right path forward. Those in leadership roles in particular must accept the idea that sometimes solutions won’t be popular with everyone. Often, the fear of potential criticism is far more crippling than the situation itself. Because of this, workers should strive to change the way they speak to themselves regarding difficult situations or decisions. “I can’t handle this,” is self-defeating, and “What if they don’t approve?” isn’t a particularly helpful question. “I’m capable of reaching a solution everyone will be happy with” is far more productive. 

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