by Gayle Hilligoss

Expressing criticism in any situation should never be taken lightly. Once you’ve decided this is your best choice, spend some time in preparation. You want to give yourself the best opportunity to achieve your goal.

• Plan your time and place.

Approaching someone unawares is never a good idea. Thoughtfully plan a time when the other person is not under pressure and a place providing privacy. Give a heads-up that you require some time: “Could we get together for a few minutes to go over …” or “Save ten minutes for me this afternoon. Will 1:30 work?”

• Know what you are going to say. {+}

A script is neither necessary nor advised, but making notes can be helpful. Ask yourself, “What is my goal? What specifically do I want to accomplish?” Focus on the actions you want changed, not on the person: “Being at your desk on time is very important; I need you to be conscientious about that,” not “You create problems by not being on time.” Make sure nothing in your remarks is mean-spirited, abusive, or insulting.

• Be brief, specific, straightforward.

One standard technique for offering criticism is to sandwich the negative comment between two positive ones: “You’ve made some good changes in the website since last quarter. The problem is that … What I want you to do is … That will bring the website’s quality up to the same high standard as your other publications.”

The problem is, this technique may sound canned and insincere. So, use it with care and be sure you mean what you say. Never manufacture compliments to make your criticism easier to take.

A direct approach can be both professional and kind. Proceed something like: Someone has made a mistake; you want to talk about it. This is what needs to change and this is how to do it. I know I can count on you for positive results. Thanks for your cooperation in getting this done.

Because you are talking about a mistake, not an individual, no one need feel threatened. You are going to fix a problem, not a person.

Say what needs to be said. Don’t apologize for the situation. Conclude cordially. Don’t drag this out or get into a debate. Move on. Expect change.
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Click on the links below to go to the other articles on this series on Criticism

Part One, Managing Criticism, practical advice for challenging situations

Part Three, Managing Criticism: Asking for Criticism

Part Four, Managing Criticism: Responding to Criticism