Creative Criticism

I've always felt that the term "constructive criticism" ranks right up there with "almost pregnant" or referring to a blind date as "a great conversationalist." When it comes to criticism you're either being criticized or your not. How "constructive" that criticism is, is purely objective. If you're on the receiving end you can either learn from it or ignore it.

All of which doesn't make criticism any easier. I've been on both sides of the table -- the one giving the critique and the one receiving the criticism - and believe me, putting fancy names on criticism doesn't make said critique any more palatable.

Some of the most successful managers today all seem to agree on one thing when it comes to dealing with that employee or colleague: there are specific ways to criticize. Methods that can help you deliver your message more effectively, and lessen the negative impact. Because if you think about it, when you criticize someone's actions, your intention (hopefully) is for him or her to improve at something, not feel so demoralized that they give up completely and crawl under their desk or head for the nearest window.

So, just how do you point out the bad while keeping he overall atmosphere positive? It's not as difficult as it may seem "creative criticism" draws heavily on plain 'ol common sense and some fundamental building blocks about dealing with people.

1.Point out that everyone makes mistakes - even you. According to an article in Mercola.com, saying things like, "I've made the same mistake myself," keeps you from sounding superior, and lets the individual sitting across from you know you understand how the mistake happened.