5 TIPS FOR NOT LETTING CRITICISM AT WORK GET THE BEST OF YOU

IF YOUR HARD-TO-PLEASE BOSS IS A LITTLE TOO HEAVY-HANDED WITH THE CRITICAL FEEDBACK, TAKE THIS ADVICE ON HOW TO DEAL.

Nobody likes being criticized, but it's inevitable at work and in relationships. People have different ways of doing tasks at work, and expectations for how projects should be completed. How you interpret and react to criticism is important, says Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D., a psychology professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Whitbourne recently examined the topic for Psychology Today, and suggests five strategies to keep in mind the next time you’re being criticized.

1. EVALUATE WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID VERSUS YOUR PERCEPTION

If you already feel insecure about your presentation skills, having someone criticize them can make you extra sensitive and prone to overreaction. Take a step back and make sure you’re not projecting your own insecurities onto the criticism, Whitbourne advises. Listen to what’s being said instead of what you think you heard or was being inferred. Continue reading.

Originally posted on Fast Company.