Criticism is a valuable means of helping ourselves and others achieve personal growth. However, because it is often done carelessly or cruelly, criticism has a bad reputation. Here are some guidelines for offering criticism constructively. First, wait until the person asks for feedback on his or her performance or actions. Unasked-for criticism is not usually valuable. Second, describe the person’s behavior as specifically as possible before you criticize it. Instead of just saying, “You were awful,” tell the person exactly what you observed. And finally, try to balance your criticism with positive statements. Look for significant points in the other person’s performance that you can honestly praise.
