CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM

***FIVE STEPS TO CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM***

Criticizing someone at work or at home is sometimes necessary, but a lot of people get offended easily, even when you have their best interests in mind. Here are five ways to be more constructive with your criticism . . .

#1.) GET THE FACTS STRAIGHT. You won't be constructive unless you're RIGHT. So before you do anything else, make sure you have a handle on what went wrong. The best way to avoid an argument is to make sure you don't end up playing defense.

#2.) KEEP YOUR EMOTIONS IN CHECK. You should expect the person you're criticizing to get a little upset, so make sure YOU don't. If you lose your cool, your emotions will discredit your argument.

#3.) AVOID INSULTS. Remember, the whole point of being critical is to get the person to do a better job . . . NOT make them feel bad. So don't insult anyone. When someone's offended, they're less open to criticism in general.

#4.) BE SYMPATHETIC. One of the most important parts of giving constructive criticism is being SYMPATHETIC. Remind yourself of what it's like to be on the receiving end, and try not to come on too strong.

#5.) WAIT FOR A RESPONSE. It's to your advantage to let the other person explain their side. Even if the explanation is BOGUS, it lets people keep their ego somewhat intact. Plus, you'll come across as open-minded and fair, which helps you in the long run. (AskMen.com)