Respond constructively to criticism

There is a proverb in Hindi which says “A critic should be living next to your house” because that way we get a chance to fine tune our short falls and emerge successfully.

The book suggests three steps to respond constructively to criticism.

1.     The first suggestion says that if we get defensive about a sharp judgment passed by others then we deprive our self from understanding what others think about us to reevaluate our actions.  A constructive way of responding to criticism is by asking the accuser reasons for saying so.

2.     The second suggestion is asking the question constructively if the criticism is valid.  If yes then think of ways to improvise.  If no then offering a logical explanation to the accuser of what according to him is bad is appropriate according to you.

3.     The final suggestion is to thank the person who offered criticism because criticism is a gift, which can make us look at our self with a different perspective and give a chance to mature on things that we might have overlooked.