LEARN TO MANAGE CRITICISM This world is full of challenges and to overcome its challenges, one needs to be strong, vibrant, perseverant, knowledgeable, integrated, sociable, current, observant and lots more. I have been searching for a life without challenges and I have never seen one. I do not also think there could be one either. As time goes in life, we meet, associate and relate with different kind of people. Even though one is quiet, passive and gentle in nature, he/she can still not rule out associating with at least few people. It is as a result of the imperfection of man that the scholars discovered these four behaviour patterns – Passive, Manipulative, Aggressive and Assertive. Nevertheless, one of the major challenges of this world which people encounter daily is CRITICISM. Criticism is a broaden subject where COMPLAINT is derived from. Complaint and criticism are more likely same depending on which side or angle one takes to look at them. Criticism has begun from the day of birth and it will not end even when someone is dead. People still criticise the action of the dead for not taking good care of their children; refusing to listen to their advices while on earth; taking wrong decisions and all that. The opposite of CRITICISM is COMMENDATION where SATISFACTION is derived from. However, there is nothing anyone can do to satisfy fellow human. If you like try to be good or otherwise, people will still criticize you. No matter your contributions to the growth of fellow human on earth, you will still be criticised. Before my wedding day, one of my superior managers in the office said to me “Nobody has ever satisfied human being. If you like buy and kill 100 cows, cook 100 bags of rice and invite few relatives and friends to your party, they will still complain.” Truly, after my vigorous and befitting wedding ceremony, I heard few people saying to me that they did not eat and all that. These were people whom I saw eating to the fullness in my father’s house before we left for the party. That is why celebrants always engage Photographers and Cameramen to capture his/her ceremony. In a Customer Service seminar, participants will be taught “a key performance indicator” which helps organizations to measure their customers’ level of satisfaction. In today’s world, customers have been regarded as Kings. So, every company must satisfy them despite knowing fully well that people are very difficult to satisfy/manage. This indicator is called “Know Your Customer (KYC)”. As part of KYC requirement, the organization will require customers’ feedback about their daily service to them. The customers will be asked to fill an assessment form; call or lodge complaints directly to the company’s branch or Head Office. Every feedback get by this organization is not toyed with. They treat them with much concern and try to make adjustment where necessary. It is not all complaints that companies answer to; there are some that will be THOROUGHLY TREATED; while some will be SLIGHTLY TREATED; and few will be TRASHED. It depends. This above simple scenarios is same in an individual life. As we are not perfect but working towards perfection, it is a must for people to criticise us. As we relate and meet different people every day, we will be criticised and some people will not be satisfied with our actions and reactions. With my little experience as a management consultant, I know it is very difficult to satisfy humane. Sincerely, I must commend the present Director of Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan. When I was in 200 level, some students challenged him on Facebook, rubbish and condemned his administration. In the midst of criticism, he was able to manage the situation tactfully and maturely and delivered extensively at the end. He is a man of his words. In my own opinion, I found nothing wrong in his administration. In fact, he created the online accessible platform via different information shared forums for students and management interactions. For any leader at that position, to have created an avenue of interacting with his students, means he is ready to give his best. However, criticism is inevitable but it can be managed. In fact, criticism gives one the opportunity to discover more about oneself. If you are the type that welcomes criticism as it comes, you will have enough experience and become a problem solver later in future. People should not take criticism personal. Like I discussed in one of my articles which was published by Saturday Punch Newspaper at the Youngster Column – “KNOWING YOUR SWOT” – most people’s strengths and weaknesses are identified and notified by their parents, relatives, friends, colleagues at work and neighbours. People, who truly like one, will inform him/her about the opportunities that match his/her strengths and if one makes use of the advice/information, he/she will excel in that profession at the end. Bad people will not bother to relate or reveal every opportunity to one and they will not even notify him/her about the danger ahead when being noted which is called THREATS. So, criticism should be welcomed. One of the present Governors in Nigeria was criticised on air sometimes ago. After watching the deranged video, he pulled his entire workforce to the area and reconstructed that community. I am sure he would video the reconstructing process and sends the recorded tape to the Television Station as a proof and onward broadcasting to the world. “Without sore, flies would have nothing to do with the affected part of the body” HOW DO YOU MANAGE CRITICISM Criticism makes one to be excelled in life. It leads someone to a SUCCESS LAND if all criticised areas are being worked on. It is like a smith who beats iron severally before deriving a certain object. It is like a skill – the more you do – the more you know. Practice makes perfect. During my Secretarial Studies programme at YabaTech, there was a course called Shorthand which all students must drill daily in order to master the strokes and their meaning. One cannot be perfect except one go through perfection process. That is why one needs to be strong, vibrant, perseverant, knowledgeable, integrated, sociable, current and observant and lots more as I earlier mentioned in the first paragraph of this article. WAYS TO MANAGE CRITICISM: 1. Acknowledge you are an imperfect being – many people believe they know all things – it is absolutely impossible. As powerful as devil is, he cannot read the mind of people; he only knows about one future plan the moment one reveal it to a fellow being. It is only our MAKER that knows all things. 2. Know yourself – this can be down through SWOT analysis. Plotting and drawing your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Hope you remember how company treats customers’ complaints as I earlier mentioned – THOROUGHLY TREATED; SLIGHTLY TREATED; and TRASHED. When people criticised your weaknesses, you will need to treat them THOROUGHLY. When people criticised your strengths you will need to either TRASHED them or SLIGHTLY treat them. 3. Welcome criticism – truly, one cannot rule out criticism – then welcome them as they come and do not take them personal. You must do away with negative egos; it will not help you to grow. There are some bosses who subordinates cannot speak to about their weaknesses when being noted. 4. Show appreciation – endeavour to thank everyone that criticizes your action. If you improve on the criticized areas; those people and you will be best friends. Meanwhile, there are many people who are not care. From them are found bad friends who will identify threats and will not notify you. They will prefer you to fail and before making guess of your actions thereafter. 5. Perfect yourself – we can perfect ourselves through self-improvement like I said in my article – How prepared are you? Although, you may not know how to read, keep reading many books. Develop interest in reading books rather than watching derange movies or listening to derail songs. If people criticise you today, try to be better-off tomorrow. Go back home and restructure your life. Though, we are not perfect; we can be well-off if we wanted to. I am a typical example and I thank GOD for that. 6. Discipline self and be determined – strong criticism requires one to be disciplined and determined. Beat your chest and say, “I want to learn new ways of doing things and eradicate all my weaknesses before so and so date.” People want to associate with you but your weaknesses make them to stay away. 7. Encourage yourself – despite the shame and embarrassment criticism must have caused you; just don’t bother. Keep preserving and encouraging yourself that you will do better one day. Keep improving on your mistakes and get prepared for the day of proof which lies ahead. 8. Eliminate fear and anxiety – do not be scared of anybody. Be bold and smart even when you are not that perfect in your profession. Confidence will take you to a greater height if you totally ignore fear. 9. Be sociable – If you want to know much about your SWOT; you need to be connected and informed. If you want to know about football, you must always watch football. If you want to be intelligent in your profession, you must have passion for the job. If you want people to notice you, you must associate with them. Be friendly and cheerful, and as time goes – your weaknesses and strengths will be noted. 10. Be patient – despite strong criticism, don’t bend the rules and regulations of your organization. You cannot make amendment in a day; it takes several days to be perfect. Just be yourself and keep talking and associating with people. You will be improving daily unknowingly. While on the other hand, your criticizers will be your examiners and praisers if only you improve yourself. I ran an international programme recently, and a friend asked me, “Why did you keep this critical information from me?” He did not know that as I can talk and crack jokes; so also I know how to keep secrets. I talk and crack jokes to improve myself, to be happy in life and to stop bothering myself with the challenges of this world. I finally said to him, “I am not a SECRET EXPOSER!” However, this article is FREE. Please share this article with friends if you find it meaningful, insightful and impactful. Written by IGE, OLUWASEYE (Baba Divine Twins) +234-8030608685 seye4God@yahoo
Posted on: Wed, 24 Jul 2013 14:53:44 +0000
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