criticism

I wrote this to a collegue of mine after he apologized just in case his comments on a document I wrote were to anoying. I quickly proofed it before sending it and I was impressed by what I wrote... I liked it so much I decided I would save it here to make sure I never forget the idea behind what I wrote


Ah… criticism is to be accepted and rejected. Those who are annoyed by it will never learn. Accepting the possibility of one’s own fallibility is the first step in true learning.

So… I never tread lightly when offering criticism. If you are not open to hearing you might have been wrong, then a softly worded critique will go away with stern disdain. But I digress… In our culture criticism is seen as rude… I therefore believe it is actually a sign of trust and friendship (professional or otherwise)… because criticism is seen as rude, one offering it must feel close enough to the receiver to be so intimate. Yet there are others who are just so rude and forward, as to offer unsolicited critique. In this case I asked so no apology necessary… on the contrary… THANK YOU. And never hesitate to offer me suggestions for improvement or condemnation for my wrong doings.