How to properly respond to criticism

Calm down and watch
Do not give in to the first reaction that your mind and emotions give rise. Yes, criticism can be unpleasant, and I know it. Sometimes, after hearing such criticism, we feel that our works have not been adequately evaluated, that our personal qualities have been questioned. Differences between one's own expectations and that of other people create an unpleasant dissonance: resentment, irritation, bitterness and anger provoke a reaction of desperate defense or an aggressive attack on the criticizing person. In this there is nothing strange and surprising, so we are forced to operate the protective psychological mechanisms hidden in us by nature.

Use criticism as an opportunity to become better
Criticism is not always an occasion to drop your dignity or offend you. It can serve as a reliable assistant, which will show you your weaknesses or weaknesses of the project you are working on. It is not very right to stop your ears and resist when such an assistant talks to you. But this is exactly what people do that react violently to criticism in their address.

If you listen to this assistant, then you will learn a lot about yourself and, possibly, will become a better person! If criticism indicates to you your weaknesses, which you can improve, then this is not a reason to be upset! After all, you, most likely, will say thank you to that person who in time will tell you that your car has brakes faulty. You will immediately take the car to the service and, probably, save your health or life. Why is it so difficult for us to accept disapproving criticism about ourselves?

Accept it with gratitude and use it for your own benefit! And be sure, almost any personality qualities can be developed. So do not take criticism as a sentence and reproach yourself!

Listen to criticism
When you listen to someone's criticism, try to just listen to it! Do not think out immediately after the first words what to answer, and how to defend yourself. So you can miss some important details in the words of the critic and look stupid, answering it. And, of course, you should not interrupt the interlocutor, trying to give him your answer. Listen to it carefully until the end, it will help you better understand the words of another person, and also gather your thoughts to answer the most appropriate way. Take a short pause to think over his words. No one will judge you for this, on the contrary, so you show respect for someone else's point of view.

Different people think differently. They see the situation differently. They notice what others do not notice and, conversely, do not see what you see. That's why we are forced to cooperate: our points of view complement each other, even if at first glance it seems that they are in contradiction.

Open cooperation, willingness to take someone else's point of view, give the scope, depth and completeness of the problem in question, be it your relationship, your job or yourself.