Criticism That Motivates

Here are the nine stages of effective criticism that motivates when a person is about to take on.

1. Make sure you pick the right time. When a person is about to take on an important task, being criticized even over a minor mistake can be extremely upsetting. Do you think it’s appropriate to criticize someone on Friday evening – just before they leave for the weekend – when it’s unlikely they can make amends?

2. You must maintain complete privacy during your discussion. Public praises and private chastisement are the rules. Overhearing or observing your discussion should never be allowed under any circumstances, whether it is a colleague, subordinate or superior. This mistake is made by most managers, and then they wonder why they receive hostile responses. When someone is criticized, they usually react with hostility because they don’t really listen, but worry about what their colleagues will think. Their listening audience benefits from this fight, which causes them to put up a fight. Playing in the gallery is like playing in a museum. As a result, the golden rule is to chastise privately.

3. To make the other person receptive to your constructive criticism, let them know that you appreciate them. List all the positive things they do for you before you mention the constructive points. We have already talked about the importance of catching people doing things right in previous chapters, but this can be complementary. Thus, this first stage is, to some extent, motivational. Nevertheless, it prepares the individual to listen and discuss the problem in a reasonable manner. Let them know what you’re good at, and how you’ve succeeded. There are some that everyone has.

4. Take the time to look the person in the eye. Managers who cannot face their subordinates lose credibility and their message loses strength. By looking out the window or down, people are unable to say anything meaningful.

5. Honesty is the most effective policy. Managers don’t tend to lie, but this does not imply that they do. In reality, many people don’t have the courage to “tell it like it is”. Their subordinate is capable of interpreting a vague message since they believe that they have sufficient imagination. Instead of actually saying what they are trying to convey, they rely too much on innuendo. Don’t be afraid, to tell the truth. Make sure you are specific. A caring manager will point out these negative aspects if they relate to a person’s personal characteristics – for example, their appearance. If a trustworthy, honest, and motivated manager is able to tell you the truth, a trusted friend should be able to do the same.

6. Try not to criticize a person, but do critique the person’s actions. One must be very careful not to criticize a person in what one can describe as the area of ‘values and beliefs. There are occasions when, by critiquing behavior, one has to mention the cause, as we discussed in the previous stage. But this is the crux of the communication process: behavior leads to the results that one wants to change or improve, and it is in this area that one must be absolutely specific and clear.

7. Once the manager has discussed the various areas of criticism with the employee, he or she must build them back up. The easiest and most effective way to accomplish this is to reaffirm their strengths. Again, make sure these are clear. It is imperative to remember the purpose of criticism. Having listened to the criticism and accepted it, the individual should leave the meeting with the confidence of having fixed what was wrong. He or she should also ensure that respect and loyalty between both parties are maintained. It is everyone’s good qualities that need to be stressed. Everyone does some things right.

8. Next, arrange a time for a review of the points discussed with the person you just criticized. The points raised may also need to be summarized in a letter at some point so that both parties have a record and there are no misunderstandings. By setting a date for the big event, the manager shows that he is committed to following through on his criticism. Furthermore, it provides a goal for the subordinate to strive for.

9. After the criticized person gets it right, praising them is the final step. This brings us back to that basic management principle – whatever you reward, you get more of. As far as reward stakes are concerned, praise is a prize. When it comes to constructive criticism, I find it imperative to emphasize that what I am saying is my opinion – I may be right or I may be wrong.