1. Lesson 8: Dealing with Criticism
Learning to Work It Out
Soft Skills for Workplace Success
Lesson 8:
Dealing with Criticism
Revised for 2015+
Module 3: Emotional Work Situations © 2015 by Steve Parese, Ed.D.
2/5/2019

2. What do you get out of this? How does it apply to you?
Pearl of Wisdom
“Honest criticism is hard to take (particularly from a relative, a friend, an acquaintance or a stranger).”
What do you get out of this? How does it apply to you?
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3. Today’s Lesson 1. Read another story about Kim
Today we’re going to learn a step-by-step way to deal with complaints when someone at work is upset about something or someone, including us.
1. Read another story about Kim
2. Learn 5 steps to handling criticism at work
3. Apply these steps to various situations
4. Review & MiniQuiz
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4. Questions after reading:
Kim’s Story 3
Let’s read along on page 50.
“A few weeks later, Kim was getting ready to leave for her 3PM shift…”
Questions after reading:
1. How could Kim have handled this situation better?
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5. Dealing with Criticism
Many times, people make bad situations worse because they don’t know how to deal with criticism calmly. But often, the person who is complaining just wants to be heard.
The point of these steps is to understand why our supervisor, co-worker, or customer is upset so that we can calmly resolve the problem.
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6. “Dealing with Criticism” Steps
1. Stop & Think
2. Listen Carefully
3. Show You Understand
4. Ask For Help
5. Explain Your Side
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7. 1. Stop & Think Handling Criticism with Kim
Let’s help Kim do a better job of dealing with criticism.
1. Stop & Think
Be sure you’re calm and thinking clearly before addressing the problem. Give the other person time to calm down as well.
Where did Kim do a good job of managing her emotions?
When should she have done a better job of Stopping & Thinking?
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8. Pay attention and listen without interrupting.
Handling Criticism with Kim
Let’s help Kim do a better job of dealing with criticism.
2. Listen Carefully
Pay attention and listen without interrupting.
ACTIVITY 1: Rate each of the listening habits on WB p 52 as either GOOD or BAD. Why are the bad ones so bad?
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9. ACTIVITY 2: Talkers & Listeners
Please pair up.
Choose your role: Talker or Listener
_________________________________________________________________
Question for Talkers, following the activity:
What did your Listener DO? How did it make you FEEL?
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10. Handling Criticism with Kim
Let’s help Kim do a better job of dealing with criticism.
3. Show You Understand
The goal when handling complaints is to first calm the situation, then solve the problem.
Show you understand the other person by summarizing what they are upset about, without arguing or making excuses.
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11. Calmly acknowledge feelings without making excuses
3. Show You Understand
Calmly acknowledge feelings without making excuses
“I understand. It sounds like you’re ________________ because (or about) ______________________________. (I’m sorry about that).”
EMOTION
SITUATION
EXAMPLE: Marcos’ girlfriend Jess talks with him about losing his temper in the car.
“Marcos, I need to talk to you about what happened this morning. I was a little worried when the car started smoking, but it really freaked me out when you screamed like that. It brought back a lot of stuff for me. It SCARED me, and I didn’t like it.”
Marcos: “I understand, Jess. You were frightened when I lost my temper in the car this morning. I’m sorry. I don’t want you to be scared of me.”
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12. 4. Ask for Help Handling Criticism with Kim
Let’s help Kim do a better job of dealing with criticism.
4. Ask for Help
Say “I want to work this out.” Then ask (in a sincere way) for the other person’s suggestions to fix the problem.
"I really want to resolve this. What are your ideas?"
”I want to work this out. What do you think we should do?”
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13. 5. Explain Your Side Handling Criticism with Kim
Let’s help Kim do a better job of dealing with criticism.
5. Explain Your Side
If needed, explain your side of the problem and try to find a compromise. If not, skip this step.
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14. Let’s help Jayda and Marcos use this skill on WB p 54.
Applying the Skill, Pt 1
Dealing with Criticism
Let’s help Jayda and Marcos use this skill on WB p 54.
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15. Kim: Take 2 INSTRUCTOR DEMONSTRATION Let’s read along on page 46.
What if Kim could do that scene all over again, using these skills?
Let’s read along on page 46.
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16. Applying the Skill, Pt 2 Dealing with Criticism
Plan a role play (skit) in which you professionally handle a work-related complaint from a coworker, supervisor or family member.
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17. Summary
Today, we’ve learned a step-by-step method for handling complaints or dealing with criticism in the workplace. When this is done skillfully, both people are calmer and feel understood.
In our next class, we will begin our last module with a lesson on problem solving skills.
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18. KEY POINT #1
Upset people just want to be heard. Listening carefully and trying to understand are the most important parts of dealing with complaints.
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19. KEY POINT #2
Employers value workers who will accept constructive criticism without getting defensive.
Using these steps improves our reputation with our supervisors, and keeps us open to learning and growth.
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20. Let’s complete the MiniQuiz in the workbook and review it as a group.√
Let’s complete the MiniQuiz in the workbook and review it as a group.
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21. Today’s Pearl of Wisdom:
“Honest criticism is hard to take, particularly from…”
How does this fit in with our lesson?
What is ONE THING you learned in this class that you will remember after leaving?
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