“Criticism is something we can easily avoid by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” (Aristotle)
All leaders are criticized. Everyone who holds a firm view will be criticized. For most of us this reality is no fun.
A few helps:
Accept that being criticized is part of the package deal for leadership. You have a set of responsibilities, significant privileges, and will receive criticism. You don’t get to opt out of part of the package and keep the rest.
Distinguish between criticism based on misunderstanding and misinformation from criticism based on what you truly decided, said, and did. As best you’re able, when there is a hope of corrected information being meaningful to others, gently provide correct information. Avoid “throwing pearls before swine.” Where criticism is a difference of opinion about what should have been decided/said/did, weigh it carefully to see what lessons are to be learned. Stand firm if you remain convicted; plan to behave differently in the future if that’s appropriate.
Remember the limitations of your critics. They see only a fraction (and usually a tiny fraction) of what you’re doing. They most likely know less than you do about the information you had at the time you needed to make a decision. There is no cost for them to be “Monday morning quarterbacks” because they’re not in the arena with you. They often criticize as if it’s possible to do a proper split-test experiment on a historical situation, which simply cannot happen.
Don’t give in to bullying and legalists. Appeasement is a failed strategy. Be disciplined but exercise your freedoms. Both bullies and legalists despise humor, so use it well to help the larger audience understand their pettiness.
Be teachable. Your critics can help you improve in the future. There are sometimes hard kernels of truth in the fluff of popcorn.
Don’t allow yesterday’s criticisms to use up too much of today and tomorrow. Most of us feel and remember criticism more keenly than praise and commendation. Train yourself to acknowledge them, and then keep whatever part is valuable in a well-managed “lessons learned” compartment of your mind.
