7 Reasons Constructive Criticism Hits Hard (and Well)

7 Reasons Constructive Criticism Hits Hard (and Well) 49 Why constructive criticism is such an effective way to make a lasting impression. A well-known tactic for asking a stranger online for a favor is to introduce yourself with a compliment to show that while they don't know you, you do know them. The small ego massage might also help you get the favor you're asking for. However, the more popular that stranger, the more they're likely to have been on the receiving end of many such requests and the less impact those compliments are likely to have. One standout tactic that almost never fails to get noticed is right on, putting it all on the table, constructive criticism.eval Why I Love Constructive Criticism 1) Most people don't like giving criticism Giving a compliment is easier to do and you rarely risk any kind of backlash.eval On the face of it, criticizing â€" especially when it's a stranger â€" seems brash and rude as a way to connect with someone. Which is why it's much more impressive if you pull it off well (not as hard as you might think). 2) Most people don't like receiving criticism And that doesn't even mean of the Internet troll kind. The implication behind any criticism, constructive or destructive, is that your work isn't as good as it could be and the reflex (don't worry- for me too) is to get defensive. But why? Who says that everything you do must be perfect on the first try? Once you can discern when the message is one you really should listen to, you'll grow much quicker. 3) Constructive criticism builds mental strength Constant flattery is like being a baby to a new mom and dad; everything is so cute and it seems you can do no wrong. Yet, with the first parental strictness comes the first tantrum, until the baby starts to understand the changes in tone. Similarly, the more criticism you hear, the more you'll be able to know when it's legitimate and when it's not, when to listen and when not to. 4) Constructive criticism has value that compliments can't have Positive recognition is nice, whether it's to your face, in a LinkedIn recommendation or in a reference letter. The thing is, recognition often comes when something is complete and can't be improved, making you feel good and proud, sure. Good constructive criticism, though, teaches you and in so doing, helps you now AND later, leading you to get more positive recognition with it than without it. 5) Constructive criticism is more likely to show off your skill than compliments A good compliment shows that you were listening. A good criticism shows that you were listening, analyzed what you heard, applied your skills and were able to communicate it back without leaving your audience feeling insulted. Unless they have a defensive reflex â€" and even then â€" they'll immediately know you're right, and will appreciate your message more than yet another ‘great post!' comment. 6) All criticism is a sign of success Getting people to react means engaging them. Getting people to spend a half an hour or more in response means really engaging them, to the point where the results will be memorable. 7) Most people just don't do it At the end of the day, most people just won't bother giving you any constructive criticism. If they think of it, they're more likely to file it anyway and move on, creating a personal brand-building opportunity for those few people who think it and act on it. Question of the article So now let's hear some- how could this post be even better? Tell me in the comments. I published a version of this article on the terrific Personal Branding Blog.

Personal Branding Weekly - How to Create Meaningful Attention - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Weekly - How to Create Meaningful Attention - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Because content has been touted as “king”, we see many spewing out loads of content thinking that is the way to draw attention to their personal brand. The question then is “any content good content?” Twitter as an engagement tool On Twitter, you hear the advice of “tweet 8 times a day to get noticed”. Is it more a broadcast channel or a place to really create engagement and develop relationships? The answer is “yes” if you focus on that. There are definitely several brands and individuals who broadcast at high velocity to stay top of mind. You, as a personal brand, have the ability to do so in a more meaningful way by providing meaningful mentions for meaningful attention. Twitter used correctly is a creative way for you to personally connect with people that you wouldn’t otherwise have a direct connection with. It’s also a great tool to build relationships with acquaintances. You can reach company presidents, organization leaders and influencers in your industry in a way that establishes rapport and a chance for them to get to know you. People do business with people they know, like and trust. Enter into true conversations with people on Twitter, and you can develop know, like and trust with them. To chat or not to chat If you’ve spent any time on Twitter, you’ve heard of Twitter chats. They are conversations. It is a chat session that goes on via Twitter, sending your messages out via public tweets. Where I see people struggle is in deciding to create a chat themselves.  Some delve into this quickly, after all the practice of creating your own Facebook groups and LinkedIn groups is so popular now that the natural tendency is to believe that developing a Twitter chat should be just as easy. Gary Vaynerchuk recommends “don’t do it!” He says to ride the hashtag rather than create it. As the creator and moderator of #brandchat, a weekly chat on Twitter all about every aspect of branding that’s been in existence of five years, I see the value in creating a chat yet there has to be good decision making and strategy around it. I have a few of my own thoughts, too, and if you’re interested in exploring if a Twitter chat is right for you or need the “how to’s” in creating one, then I cover that in my YouTube series titled, Twitter Chat Tips. Be meaningful One easy way to be meaningful immediately, is to retweet with purpose or mention someone with your thoughts included.   When commenting on valuable content that has been tweeted, posted, or otherwise written, be sure that your comment is thorough and shares your insights as to why this pertains to you. Answer the question what made it valuable to your specific area of expertise? Don’t just recommend it; provide a reason why it is your recommendation. This week we also covered: What’s Irritating about Cell Phones?  by Debra Benton Why Successful People Use Their Indoor Voices  by Nance Rosen How to Set and Achieve Your Goals  by Ceren Cubukcu 6 Ways to Find Fulfillment in Your Career  by Heather Huhman Video Interviewing for the Unemployed  by Alex Freund It’s Not Personal Just Business; Think Twice!  by Elinor Stutz Win the Talent War by Opting for Transparency  by Glassdoor.com Better Questions Equal Better Networking Results  by Richard Kirby Under-Thinking the Pre-Game Plan  by Eddy Ricci Personal Brands: LinkedIn the Network to Watch  by Maria Elena Duron What Millennials can Learn from Rules 13 and 14  by Jeff Shuey Moms: First Mentors That Set the Stage for Success  by Skip Weisman Creative Branding Defined  by Susan Gilbert Maximize Your Time By Outsourcing  by Leslie Truex How Small Business Owners Can Attract ‘Top Talent?’  by Beth Kuhel Make an Employer Want to Hire You  by Ken Sundheim Employee Referrals â€" Your Ticket to Your Next Job  by Marc Miller

Just Tell Me All the Bad Stuff - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Just Tell Me All the Bad Stuff - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Many years ago I was asked to evaluate a speech for a Toastmasters event where the speaker was preparing for the regional championship. Winingat this level meant he would go onto to the international level. It was a big stepping stone.The speakerasked us to dohim a favor beforehe got started.What he said caught my attention and has stuck with me all these years. He said and I quote… “Only tell me about the bad stuff“ He gave a little post-amble after that. Where he said something tothe effect of“I don’t need to be puffed up with the good stuff. I absolutely will appreciate that afterwards, but I need to hear the bad stuff first so that I can improve.” I need to hear the bad stuff so that I can improve That’s easy to say and a lot harder to do. It also runs counter to whatMarcus Buckingham says in Now, Discover Your Strengths from 2001 (and still worth a read)â€" where the research he did with The Gallup organization showed that it was more effective to focus on your strengths. And, the implication was to hire and job things out tocompensatefor your weaknesses. So, how is “Only tell me about the bad stuff” different from “Focus on Your Strengths?” I believe this is a viable strategy on the grand scheme of things. And,in this particular situation the speaker didn’t want to focus on his strengths and he specifically wanted to know where the audience felt he had fallen flat. To be honest… it was kinda hard to do. Especially within the Toastmasters context where we are taught to encourage speakers. Tell me about my flaws It takes a strong person to ask that question and an even stronger person to listen (intently and silently) to thebrutally candid responses that may come back. Can you stand it? Will you ask the question? Do you ask the question? It is really tough to not defend yourself when somebody starts slinging arrows in your direction. Even when you ask for it… it can be tough. My recommendation is to be open and ask that question and expect and encourage brutal honesty. Some History: A mentor I worked with at Microsoft used that the terms “brutal honesty“ to seek that kind of feedback. I have to say I don’t always seek that brutally honest feedback. And that’s on me. Perhaps I should do it a little bit more. If youdo soon a regular basis drop a note in the comments and tell us how it works for you. From this mentor and with this mentor… We all asked for and expected the truth and we were ready to hear the Brutally Honest feedback. But are we really prepared for that truth when it comes right back at us? Not everyone is. Even when they say they are. So, here are a few ways to think about providing feedback… even when the person says Only tell me about the bad stuff. Tips for giving feedback: Remember it’s not about the person it’s about the presentation, the material, the content. If there is something of a more personal nature that needs to be addressed remember PIP and CIP. PIP means Praise in Public CIP means Criticize in Private As noted in the case of the Toastmasters speakerhe specificallyasked us to criticize him in public. And, we obliged. Pro Tip: Unless the person specifically asks for criticism in a public forum you should plan on giving it in private. It doesn’t necessarily work in all situations. However, as a best practice and as a way to improve in your career and grow your skills I encourage you to take that difficult step and allow someone to give you brutally candid feedback. As for me, I give you permission to tell me all the bad stuff. Go ahead! Tell me. I can take it. I hope you consider asking for it too. It just might change your life and the way to see things.

How to Be Spontaneous with Judith Humphrey (PODCAST) - Classy Career Girl

How to Be Spontaneous with Judith Humphrey (PODCAST) Have you ever seen a really important person in your company or even in the online world in real life and you just freeze because you have no idea what to say to them. And if you dont say anything at all, you miss on creating an amazing connection. This just happened to my husband and I. We were at a car wash here in San Diego and we were wishing our car right next to Pat Flynn from the Smart Passive income Podcast which I have listened to for years. We hesitated and almost didnt say anything but finally, we said, hey are you Pat Flynn? It was spontaneous and a little weird but its exactly what we are talking about today in this podcast. Making more spontaneous moments to advance your career or business. So lets dive in. Judith Humphrey Author and Founder of  The Humphrey Group www.judithhumphrey.com How to Be Spontaneous with Judith Humphrey Judith Humphrey is the founder of The Humphrey Group, a premier leadership communications firm. She is a communications expert whose business teaches global clients how to communicate as confident, compelling leaders. Judith is the author of three books (Speaking as a Leader, Taking the Stage, and Impromptu: Leading in the Moment), an acclaimed speaker, and a columnist for Fast Company. Subscribe  on  your favorite platform below: iTunes Google Play Music Stitcher Radio TuneIn iHeartRadio Sound Cloud Some questions I asked: How did you fall into this world of impromptu and spontaneity? What are some tips for mastering small talk at work? How can we be ready for what is coming our way? Or is it even possible to be ready? As a leader in our companies or businesses, why is this so important? What is scripting yourself? How do I stop using fillers (“um,” “uh,” “like,” etc.) in my speech? How does body language affect people’s perception about you? What are some examples of how you should tailor your body language, word choice, and tone to specific audiences? In This Episode, You Will Learn: Judith’s book is important because leaders with strong communication skills stand out for their ability to inspire in off the cuff exchanges. Her book which I was just reading before this interview today unlocks the secrets of successful spontaneity which I have to tell you Judith, I am an introvert and I like being prepared. So I will be learning along with my listeners today about how I can be more spontaneous. I know it’s something I have learned in the last 8 years of speaking in front of people and putting myself out there, it’s so important to deliver your message with clarity and confidence even for us introverts! Episode Resources: Judiths website: www.judithhumphrey.com www.humphreygroup.com/ You may also like these episodes: The Biggest Branding Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make How to Brand Yourself When Interviewing with Jessica Smith

Social Worker Resumes Samples

Social Worker Resumes SamplesDo you need to know more about the social worker resume samples that you can use in your job search? Well, you are in the right place. This article will show you how to find and download the best resume samples so that you can get started right away.There are many resources that can help you download social worker resume samples so that you can create an outstanding resume for the job that you are applying for. First of all, you should understand that these samples are not meant to be used as a guide. The samples are not used to do actual research on the job that you are applying for. Rather, the samples are meant to be used as a guide when it comes to filling out the section for your resume.The great thing about using social worker resume samples is that there are so many different styles and formats to choose from. You should choose the one that is most suited to your specific situation. However, if you cannot figure out which one is best for you, there are some general guidelines that you can follow. One of these is to look for sample resumes that are in headings.As you may already know, header tags can be found on top level headings or under the section headings. When you want to know more about these samples, you should see what style of writing they are in and where they are located. If you have a particular style that you would like to use, you should go ahead and use that in your resume.Of course, there are going to be other situations that are going to require you to change the style of your resume. However, it is important to keep in mind that the header tags should be consistent with your other details in the resume. In other words, you should avoid changing the style of your resume for every example you find online.Of course, there are a few different ways that you can use social worker resume samples to get started. Some people like to use them in conjunction with a traditional resume. Others find that this method is no t very useful for them.As far as how you choose to format your resume, it is important to understand that there are different styles. Therefore, if you do not understand how to use a particular style, you may want to look for examples in other formats. In fact, some samples will allow you to do this very easily.While you may feel that these samples are a waste of time, you should take a look at them before you actually submit your resume. You should take a look at the different styles that you can choose from. Also, it is important to understand that these examples are not meant to replace a resume. Rather, they are simply a guide so that you can create a well-written, professional resume for the job that you are applying for.

The Secret to Phenomenal Career Growth

The Secret to Phenomenal Career Growth The Secret to Phenomenal Career Growth Career growth is something that frequently gets derailed and stagnated. Oftentimes, we get stuck in jobs because the work we are doing demands a rigorous routine and our complete focus. Being consumed by our work means that it consumes our attention away from our career. If you are feeling like you are in a rut and uninspired, the best place to start is this quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: Do one thing a day that scares you. This doesn’t mean radical things. The things that scare you are ones that push your envelope. Simply put: this means trying something new. Routines are ruts and unto themselves a repeated process that takes place over and over again. Time to break that up. It’s all about finding things that can inspire you. Help you learn new things. Apply new ideas. Be exposed to novel concepts that challenge that status quo. We are not talking skydiving here. It’s all about incremental growth but growth nonetheless. What you are really doing is taking time for yourself. This requires creating space, purpose, and opportunity. And it’s pretty easy, actually. Use your calendar to create your own timelines and work plan. Every 6 months, create a reminder to sign up for some classes to add for your skill sets. Every 3 months, plan on doing an assessment of your work environment to look for “stretch assignments.” Every week, read at least one article that changes your perception of things. Every day, evaluate your job for ways to improve it or enhance the work that you are doing. Career growth begins when you start making time for yourself. When you aren’t growing, it means that you are neglecting yourself. By taking charge of your career growth, you flourish within your work life, earnings potential, and career advancement.

Motivation Monday Crave, Create and Critique

Motivation Monday Crave, Create and Critique Here are three words I propose you let guide you this week. Lets see if they stick. Crave According to Merriam-Webster: Crave:  'krav (verb) to ask for earnestly:  beg,  demand  crave  a pardon for neglect to want greatly:  need  craves  drugs   to yearn for  crave  a vanished youth to have a strong or inward desire  craves  after affection What do you crave? Well, what if the answer was a fulfilling career? This could provide you with the money to do what you really wanted. But at what price?  What would you sacrifice to make this happen? This week, think about what it is you crave and what it will take to make it a reality. Create When was the last time you created something either an idea or an object? There is a deep satisfaction that comes from creating. And while that can be intrinsically fulfilling, try taking it one step further. Create and SHARE! Find a way to share your creation with someone who will hear it, see it, feel it, know it. We dont create enough, in my opinion. What will you create and share this week? Critique We all say we want feedback; though sometimes it hurts. When you provide feedback it shows you are paying attention and have concern for the other person. Your critique shows that you want to help them develop and improve. And by the way, critiquing also gives you the opportunity to share what you know and think. Deliver meaningful feedback to someone this week by sandwiching the negative between two positives. Have a great week! Let me know how these words impact your week.