At some point in your life, you may have gotten an unsolicited comment from someone and felt weird about it. It’s even worse if you have exposed yourself to social media. Everyone has an opinion and expresses it without any hesitation.

Sometimes Instagram/Twitter critique comments can be so mean that they may affect your self-esteem. Not only you but everyone reading the comments gets impacted. So handling criticism, haters and trollers is a key 21st century skill.

Some people are always on a negative trip and try to sabotage others with it. Or they try to control the power dynamics by giving negative feedback.

Criticism is negative feedback. But it can help you grow if it is constructive. A 2018 research article identified three main requirements for constructive criticism:

Compassion: The critic should express themselves in a way that makes you feel safe. Their point of view should show care and your growth. It is even better if it comes from someone you respect.

Specifics: Look for people who talk logically and have strong reasons to make their point. They should be able to give you specific pointers to work on your performance and guide you through it.

Alignment: They give you feedback only when you are ready and are in the correct emotional space. Your emotions and motivation should align to take feedback.

Use this list to identify if the critique is helping you or damaging you.

If you have a review from your manager, take it seriously. Assume it is valid and make a plan to respond in a positive way that helps you.

Listen with an open mindset. Do not get angry, or storm out if you feel bad about your review. Stay calm and don’t react. An angry reaction will only make you look weak and vulnerable.