The most helpful criticism I ever received was from my first supervisor. I was eager to demonstrate my initiative, only to be reprimanded by him. He said, “Look, if you hope to continue working here, leave your initiative at home.”
That criticism was disappointing, but it prompted me to ask myself, “Do I really want to work for a company that doesn’t value initiative?” The answer led me to the best career decision of my life. I quit as soon as I could find an employer who valued initiative.
At the time I thought my boss was a jerk. I have since come to appreciate him for telling me an important truth about the culture of the organization. Only in hindsight do I appreciate the favor he did for me.
—ConocoPhillips Manager
Shakespeare said, “Take each man’s censure but reserve thy judgment.” In other words, welcome criticism from anyone who cares to offer it, but don’t jump to any premature conclusions. Sometimes the criticism may be valid; sometimes not. You need to reflect on the criticism, then decide for yourself what to do with it. In this particular case, the gift in the criticism did not come
from what it said about the recipient. The gift was in the insight into his supervisor’s and the organization’s values.