Dear Mark – I Don't Handle Criticism Well

I've never handled criticism very well, and my first evaluation is approaching. I'm worried they'll have negative things to say. How do I handle it if they do?

Sincerely,

Scared Stiff

You'll have to do what everyone else does – listen to what your evaluator has to say, assess their criticism, and then make improvements.

Evaluations aren't about making you look or feel bad, they're about helping you do your job. And the truth is that what you do on the job is often affected by things outside of your control, e.g., coworkers, crises. A good employer understands this, and a really good evaluation always includes ways to overcome these obstacles and help you do your job better.

So once you learn to go into an evaluation with an open mind, conscious of your own limitations, and willing to make improvements, criticism will be a lot easier to deal with.

Face it: Any form of employment leaves you subject to criticism. So unless you're are lucky enough to win the lottery, or can find work as a hermit, you'll have to learn to deal with it.