Was notorious for his devastating style of criticism: Dieter Bohlen (right) during his time on the jury of the TV show “Deutschland sucht den Superstar”
Image: dpa
Criticism at work can slow down, paralyze and rob creativity. Do we need more cuddly atmosphere in the office? Addressing problems can be uncomfortable for both sides – but it can hardly be avoided.
Also, I would have expected more from you! Your design sucks. I’ll have a new concept on my desk in two hours!” The architect, who had been dressed down like that, can still quote these sentences years later and, full of anger and disgrace, remembers the peppered criticism of his office manager. His boss has done just about everything wrong that can be done wrong in terms of feedback: He becomes highly emotional, insulting, demanding and gives no perspective as to what concrete improvements could be made. The architect feels empty and unmotivated. New ideas? None! What if they go the wrong way again?
It was a completely different story for a journalist who gave the editorial intern one of her texts to read. Respectfully but firmly, the intern said she was missing an aspect of the story and why, as a young woman, she missed that detail. The journalist got to thinking, took the criticism to heart and quickly had ideas about who else to talk to to fill in the missing aspect.
#Criticism #work #Words #weapons