How do you deal with sharp and aggressive criticism on the job?

Question

Where I have worked in the past, I have received some sharp, aggressive and angry criticism from my coworkers. It is a result of my position in the company. I had lots of influence and my decisions were constantly second guessed. Everyone was an arm chaired quarterback and thought their ideas should have been implemented, instead of mine.

When their ideas were not implemented, I got alot of people going around the office telling me how terrible I was and how stupid my decisions were. It got very personal and mean. I heard some of these angry outburst face to face but others just did it in a form of gossip or whispers. The office politics got hot and heavy.

Have you experienced anything like this and if so, how did you respond?

Answer 1

Your co workers have no right to give you sharp and aggressive criticism at all.. if you are new or a colleague gives you constructive criticism then that is ok.. and it's meant to help you to do it better and I would appreciate that.. aggressive criticism I would absulutely not listen to.. also the boss has a right to give you constructive criticism and that you should accept and see as a sign they mean it for your own good so that you make it easier.. that you learn an easier way to do your task.. constructive criticism should be received with gratitude.. and you should try to adapt to the easier and better way.. but nobody has a right to shout and use abusive words and aggressive criticism..

That kind of criticism.. leads nowhere.. constructive criticism however is well meant by the person who gives it and it's not meant to put you down'.... only to show you easier and quicker or more efficient ways how to do things.. if someone gives you constructive criticism .. then be open to it and show gratitude.. if someone shows you aggressive criticism.. ignore them or talk with your manager or supervisor ...It is the management and your employers who have the right to criticize you and they should do it in a constructive way..to show you how you can do it better.. if a colleague wants to be helpful and she knows a better way.. then be grateful and ignore those who dish out sharp criticism

Answer 2

don't ever let destructive criticism shape who you are, the only way to deal with it is by ignoring it.

Answer 3

I found another job and quit; I couldn't take it any more and the stress is bad for your health.

Answer 4

Sounds like a bad office culture - which is usually the result of bad management.  Either the complainers felt they were part of a team but were not allowed to give any input, or there was some sort of office hierarchy that was never enforced, and people thought they had the same executive power as you, when they actually didn't.

Answer 5

Take every criticism with a grain of salt. The only critiques that matter are you boss's. Sometimes coworkers may criticize your work because they want to you fit in and pace yourself. It's a community peace keeping thing. You can take some of it to heart and change to become one of the community or not and brush them aside. Also, the only stupid decisions are the ones NOT made. At least you took the initiative and made one. Let your boss decide if it was stupid or not. Above all remember, cooler heads nearly always prevail.

Answer 6

You have to learn to let it roll off your back. This type of criticism and gossip will only increase as you get climb higher and higher on any hierarchal ladder.

There's not really any other way to deal with it, unless it borders on harassment. Then of course, you could openly try to get them to stop. But  most of the time, you just have to hunker down and grow some thick skin. Sometimes dish back out some of their own medicine.

You have to hold your own if you want to survive

Answer 7

Welcome to the real word.

Answer 8

You have to assess whether or not the claims were right.  How did you act while trying to drive home that your ideas were best?  Did they like you before?  Are you behaving well?  Are you their boss or a coworker?

If you are their boss, you need to get control of your employees and show some confidence, leadership and (if you were wrong)fix it!  If they are coworkers and you are not doing anything to fan the flames of anger, you should consider trying to calm the flames yourself by talking to the individuals who are talking (not email) and then if that does not work, go to your boss.

Answer 9

LOL...easy, tell them that they better watch their mouth or they might be standing in the unemployment line soon.

There is a good reason why your ideas make it and theirs fail. Don't be afraid of climbing the corporate ladder. If the rest get left behind, well, it's their own fault!

Edit:

Never admit that U made a mistake...in the business world it's considered a sign of weakness. Instead, if u make a mistake, blame it on faulty data. And find a way to fix the mistake...quickly.

Answer 10

With positions of influence comes authority to control.

Answer 11

ya. experienced same things in schools with seniors.

but don't care about it & just proceed to show the world what you can

best of luck

Answer 12

Not as bad as that.

Suggest you keep a lower profile and allow the storm to blow over.

Hopefully your decision was good.  If not you should admit you were wrong.  This will show others you are hearing them and accept responsibility.

This is a good time to think about how you could have done a better job.  Perhaps you should have taken a leadership roll and developed a team to help in the process of your decision - if possible.  Get others involved so they have some ownership.  Then when things go bad (if they do) they all have a stake in it and your not left holding the bag.

Answer 13

smile politely & put your resume on monster.com

Answer 14

Take a couple of ideas and compare them to your own... whatever comes closest tell the people that you got the idea off a certain person and revised it to make it even better and you thank them very much. That's the only way to keep your ideas and also make others feel important that their ideas were at least somewhat important.