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Back to Workshops Ages 13-15 • Resilience

Dealing with Criticism

Turn feedback into fuel for growth

35-45 minutes
Interactive Learning
Certificate Included

What You'll Learn

Nobody likes being criticized, but it's inevitable. The difference between people who succeed and those who don't often comes down to how they handle feedback. Learn to separate valuable criticism from noise, and you'll grow faster than you ever thought possible.

In this workshop, you'll develop the mental resilience to handle feedback without losing confidence, extract value even from harsh criticism, and use it as fuel for continuous improvement.

Key Learning Points

1

Constructive vs. Destructive

Learn to distinguish between criticism meant to help you grow (constructive) and criticism meant to tear you down (destructive). Not all feedback deserves your attention.

2

Manage Your Emotions

Feeling defensive or hurt when criticized is natural. Learn to pause, breathe, and respond thoughtfully instead of reacting emotionally.

3

Extract the Value

Even poorly delivered criticism can contain a kernel of truth. Learn to separate the message from the messenger and find the useful insights.

4

Use It as Fuel

The most successful people use criticism as motivation to improve. Transform feedback into action steps that make you better, stronger, and more skilled.

Activity 1: Constructive vs. Destructive

Learn to spot the difference between helpful and harmful feedback

Read each criticism and identify whether it's constructive (helpful) or destructive (harmful):

✅ Constructive Criticism

  • Specific and actionable
  • Focused on behavior, not person
  • Delivered with good intent
  • Includes suggestions for improvement
  • Based on observable facts

❌ Destructive Criticism

  • Vague and general
  • Attacks character or identity
  • Intended to hurt or diminish
  • No helpful suggestions
  • Based on opinion or emotion

Practice: Sort These Criticisms

Criticism 1: "Your essay has a strong thesis, but your supporting arguments need more evidence. Focus on citing specific examples."

Criticism 2: "You're so lazy. You never try hard enough at anything."

Criticism 3: "You rushed through this. I noticed you skipped the final review step in the process. That's where the errors came from."

Activity 2: The PAUSE Method

Manage your emotional response to criticism

When you receive criticism, use this 5-step method to respond thoughtfully instead of reacting emotionally:

The PAUSE Method

P
Pause and Breathe

Take 3 deep breaths before responding. This prevents emotional reactions.

A
Assess the Source

Does this person have my best interests in mind? Do they have expertise in this area?

U
Understand the Message

What is the core message? Separate the useful information from the emotional delivery.

S
Seek the Grain of Truth

Even harsh criticism usually contains some truth. What can you learn from this?

E
Extract Action Steps

Turn the criticism into specific actions you can take to improve.

Practice the PAUSE Method:

Scenario: Your coach says in front of the team: "That was a terrible performance. You looked like you didn't even care out there."

Activity 3: How to Respond to Criticism

Practice professional responses to different types of feedback

Choose the best response for each situation:

😊 For Constructive Criticism

Good responses:

  • "Thank you for the feedback. Can you give me an example so I understand better?"
  • "I appreciate you pointing that out. I'll work on that."
  • "That's helpful. What would you suggest I do differently?"

😐 For Vague Criticism

Good responses:

  • "Can you be more specific about what you mean?"
  • "What exactly should I focus on improving?"
  • "Can you give me a concrete example?"

🛑 For Destructive Criticism

Good responses:

  • "I appreciate your opinion. I'll consider that."
  • "Thanks for your input." (Then dismiss it)
  • Say nothing and walk away (sometimes best)

Create Your Response Scripts:

Activity 4: From Feedback to Action

Transform criticism into a growth plan

Think of a recent criticism you received. Use this framework to turn it into actionable improvement:

Final Reflection

"How will changing the way you handle criticism affect your growth? Think of a time when criticism helped you improve. What made that feedback valuable?"

Congratulations!

You've completed the Dealing with Criticism workshop

  • Distinguished constructive from destructive criticism
  • Learned the PAUSE method for emotional management
  • Created response scripts for different situations
  • Transformed criticism into an action plan
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