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Criticism can be an attack that tears you down or a method that builds you up. So much depends on how you take it and how you give it.
Fun Fact:
Today’s fun fact is a quote. Andrew Stanton is the writer and director responsible for “Finding Nemo” and “WALL-E” and many other Pixar projects. Here is what he has to say about constructive criticism. “Working at Pixar you learn the really honest, hard way of making a great movie, which is to surround yourself with people who are much smarter than you, much more talented than you, and incite constructive criticism; you’ll get a much better movie out of it.”
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/constructive_criticism.html
Personal Fact:
I’ve had over 10 bosses in my working career. No two of them had the same leadership style and I’ve learned much from each of them.
Constructive Criticism:
You may remember, from one of my prior SILY episodes, I am someone who thrives on clear expectations and goals. But I am also not great at making my own. So I welcome others setting expectations and goals. Based on that, you would think that I would thrive with constructive criticism. Well not really.
While I love clear goals and expectations, criticism, even constructive criticism is a challenge. Why because once I have started on a project, it has stopped being someone else’s goal and become my own. In other words it has become personal. I mentally take ownership for its’ progress, success or failure. So it is hard for me to open it up for others to view it, until I feel it is done.
Let me share a story about it, that my help you get in my head. I worked at a Christian missions organization, now called Feed The Hunger, for four years. I was doing video production for half of that time. I helped film and edit teaching videos and mission trip videos. Often I did videos to help raise funds for schools, feeding programs and other needs.
The head of the organization had gone to Ethiopia and basically snuck into Sudan. This was in the late 90’s early 2000’s. The outside world had little clue of the persecution that Christians were facing in Sudan. The head of the organization talked with freedom fighters and others. He got powerful testimony of what was happening. This footage landed in my lap and I had such a burden to get the testimony out.
The issue was I was so burdened to get the story out, I didn’t want to hear the constructive criticism needed to make it better. I was hurt by the criticism and hurt that the incomplete project had shown to others. The project had ceased to be a project and had become a part of me. That is not always a bad thing. It is not a bad thing, if you can view constructive criticism as a way to help you grow. But at that point in my life, I viewed it as an attack on me, personally.
I regret to say that, a lot of the constructive criticism I received there got me emotionally upset and did little good at the time. It took me a while to forgive the perceived attack on me. It also took distance for me to see it for what it was, a way to help me grow.
I have grown over the years and don’t take every bit of criticism as an attack on me personally. I’m still in the process of growing. Does criticism still hurt yes, but I’m trying to weed out the emotion and find ways to grow in it.
The next issue for me is being a perfectionist. I’m more welcoming now of hearing ways to improve. I even ask for advice more easily now. The issue has now become what I do with that constructive criticism.
I’ve enjoyed the new world of podcasting. I’ve been a listener for a long time. So I have some unreal expectations for myself. But thankfully my co-host on Gotham Undercover, fellow podcasters at Golden Spiral Media and Darrell have given me great advice. Darrell has listened to my episodes and given me constructive criticism to help me move forward.
The challenge comes in my own mind. You see we record SILY episodes as a batch, and then they get scheduled and released. So the feedback Darrell gave me was for episodes in the future. But I’m a perfectionist and wanted to implement the advice immediately. But that is not what Darrell had intended. He was looking at improving me long term by building me up step by step. I wanted to make an immediate change.
What I Learned:
Constructive criticism has helped me grow in so many ways. I’m a much better employee now because of the growth in this area. But I still have a long way to go. I’m ready to hear ways to grow, but I have to be content that I’m not going to be perfect, EVER, or better overnight.
I’ve also learned that, just like me, people take constructive criticism differently. So I need to think about how I offer it to each person. I may have to adapt the technique and method to the person. I also have learned to really think about what I want to say. There is a big difference between criticism and constructive criticism. Constructive criticism involves thought, advice and insight geared towards growth. Criticism tends to be an emotional reaction that tears down the person.
I’m happy that I have great people around me in my work environment, the podcast world, and my personal life who can give me great constructive criticism. I’m happy that I can start to give some to others, because I’m in a much better place in my life. But most of all I’m glad that constructive criticism in my life has helped me to grow. It is still not always easy to receive but I need it.
I’m Geoff Gentry and this has been Stuff I Learned Yesterday.
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