Criticism. The very word is enough to give heart palpitations to some. For some others, it evokes a fight or flight response. But for CEOs, it is considered bad taste to be unable to deal with Criticism in an emotionally intelligent manner. That said, some individuals make for a good case study on what not to do while receiving criticism.

Giving and receiving criticism is always a tricky affair. It is also the most effective tool in the personal development arsenal. While it might sting a little bit at the start, when used correctly, it can help people find motivation, strengthen relationships, and deliver incredible results. So, why is it that the very word “criticism” often evokes strong negative feelings amongst the majority?

How to handle criticism is not part of any regular course curriculum. Yet, it is one of the most important skills to have at the workplace. Beyond that, knowing how not to take criticism personally is one of the biggest indicators of emotional maturity. This ability is especially important if you are a CEO, prone to receive brickbats from everyone, including employees and consumers.

What Elon Musk shows us on how NOT to handle criticism

So, why is it that Elon Musk fits into our guide on how not to take criticism personally? As the chief executive of three companies, who is extremely active on social media, he is often exposed to vitriol from trolls. You would expect that the daily exposure would give him a thicker skin — as he continues to engage with the commenters, especially on Twitter. Sadly, that is not the case in real life when it comes to the companies he oversees.

SpaceX Firings

The aerospace company headed by Elon Musk has taken great strides in making space tourism a reality. It has also been instrumental in providing Internet to far-flung corners of the Earth, via its Starlink satellites.

But all is not well in the SpaceX universe. In June 2022, SpaceX employees were in for a rude shock after attending a meeting with Jon Edwards, the vice president, on Musk’s reaction to criticism.

Previously, five employees had written a letter expressing their displeasure at Musk’s behavior involving a sexual harassment claim. The letter writers were later fired by the company for seemingly distracting the firm and maligning Musk.

When questioned about the event, Jon Edwards, the vice President told the two employees, “SpaceX is Elon and Elon is SpaceX.” The employees revealed this information to The New York Times late last year, expressing incredulity at the unfair practice.

The letter eventually led to the firing of a total of nine employees, out of which eight of them filed a case with the National Labor Relations Board for unfair labor practices.  

The lawsuit is a textbook case on what not to do while receiving criticism as it not just affects work culture, but also creates fear and resentment in the minds of employees. An environment dominated by fear stifles innovation and dissuades workers from speaking up, even on pressing issues, which is detrimental to the growth of any organization.

Tesla Lawsuits

At the electric carmaker managed by Musk, the story is not too different.

In June 2022, fifteen Black former and current employees filed a lawsuit against the electric carmaker alleging racial abuse and harassment at its factories.

The lawsuit states that supervisors, colleagues, and HR personnel took part in creating a toxic environment in the California factory.

Furthermore, in the same month, a Tesla shareholder took cognizance of the grievances aired by Tesla employees and filed a lawsuit against CEO Elon Musk and the company’s board of directors for neglecting worker complaints and creating a toxic workplace.

Last year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) also ordered Elon Musk to delete a tweet that the court had deemed a threat that employees would be giving up company-paid stock options if they join a union.

To ignore criticism is to blatantly disrespect an individual and undermine their contributions at the workplace. Pretending that what is being said is not relevant is also part of what not to do while receiving criticism.

The company’s shares have borne the brunt of investor pessimism and retailors have been busy selling Tesla stock amid growing concerns about Elon Musk’s divided attention.

Twitter Firings

Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has been mired in controversy since Day One. Although he laid off over half the workforce citing cost cutting measures, some employees were let go for being very vocal critics of Musk and his management style.

Twitter employees who criticized the billionaire CEO on internal channels or publicly on Twitter itself, were let go with no specific reason given for their termination.

Sasha Solomon, a software engineer, was one such casualty. She was let go after she took to Twitter to question Musk’s moves as the new head of the social media platform. Another person was Android developer Eric Frohnhoefer, who publicly called out Musk on his comment about slow loading times for Twitter. Incensed, Musk tweeted, “He’s fired.” Although Musk later deleted the tweet, Frohnhoefer was indeed fired without any formal communication.

One employee told Rolling Stone in confidence that Twitter firings have also affected people who criticized or challenged Musk on internal Slack messages.

The Twitter firings show us that at companies headed by Musk, there is no room for growth as employees are expected to defer to the CEO. For any person in authority, firing people for raising concerns must attract severe penalties. This is especially noteworthy in the list of things on what not to do while receiving criticism, as discriminatory firings can give rise to a host of legal issues.

What not to do while handling criticism

As social animals, we all need encouragement and appreciation to thrive. And though it is not spoken about as much, criticism is just as essential to weed out what is not working for us.

Perhaps, the best comment on criticism comes from former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. In an interview, he stated, “Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body; it calls attention to the development of an unhealthy state of things. If it is heeded in time, danger may be averted; if it is suppressed, a fatal distemper may develop.”

If you have ever wondered how to handle criticism diligently, here is a list of don’ts you must follow.

Don’t react impulsively

Even when you receive negative feedback, it is important to give yourself some time and space to reflect on what was said. Reacting impulsively is a sign of emotional immaturity and will land you in trouble. Instead of reacting to the accusation or comment, you must think carefully before responding to it. This is step one in how not to take criticism personally.

If you are in a position of power, reacting impulsively could land you in trouble with human resources and the legal team.

Don’t dwell too long on it

A criticism is also an opinion of the person giving it. You do not have to take it as an undisputed fact. Try to remind yourself of your accomplishments if you feel burdened by what you have heard. Dwelling too long on negative criticism can affect our mood and productivity.

While it is important to take note of the message, dwelling too long on negative feedback does no good to anyone.

Don’t make assumptions

One of the key steps in how not to take criticism personally, is to avoid making assumptions. To make assumptions is to make a fool out of the other person and yourself. It’s never a bad idea to seek clarification from the reviewer to help you gain a better understanding of their feedback.

This drives home the fact that you value their input and want to improve things in the future.

Whenever someone offers any form of negative criticism, it means you fell short in their evaluation. Instead of feeling insecure or angry, you must evaluate the content and the intent behind it.

At the workplace, criticism is necessary to foster a culture of innovation. By including examples and clearly stating what you expect, you give the other person a chance to better themselves. 

Receiving criticism is a valuable learning opportunity and when done in  a responsible manner helps everyone involved.

The post The Dark Side of Leadership: How Elon Musk’s Controversies Serve as a Cautionary Tale for CEOs appeared first on Industry Leaders Magazine.