According to Merriam-Webster:
- the act of expressing disapproval and of noting the
problems or faults of a person or thing: the act of criticizing someone or
something
- a remark or comment that expresses disapproval of
someone or something
- the activity of making careful judgments about the good
and bad qualities of books, movies, etc.
This I have found with age is a very subjective
process.
Example, when I worked for Amoco Production Company (now
part of BP), I had progressed fairly rapidly over a 3-year period in their
accounting and data center and had really only one critique that kept coming up
in those dreaded corporate reviews, “You are too aggressive. Try to be
more laid back in your actions.” Well, fast forward 3 more years and
still being steadily successful, but now the company had gone through some
dramatic changes. After IBM started the trend of “downsizing” for profit,
which prior to that was not really a common practice (early 1990’s), Wall
Street ate it up! It then became a trend and Amoco jumped on that bit of
Wall Street twisted logic and we went from approximately 1,200 staff at the
accounting and data center to just under 700. Suddenly, your nice job
became about two jobs. I remembered my review in that period and the one
item that stuck in my mind was, “You have terrific initiative and get things
done. Great job!” Subjective and circumstantial.
However, I also think, if done with good intentions, can be
helpful and in some cases, even when wrongly given, is a hazard of doing.
In the previous, it did make me focus on trying to become less purely tactical
and become more thoughtful in the process itself. Making it more human
and emotive.
Here is a thought to keep in mind the next time someone,
possibly even me, offers you unsolicited criticism.
“There is only one way
to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” – Aristotle
Go be something!
Namaste,
Tom
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